African MtDna Signatures in the Iberian Peninsula

Angela

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This is a long awaited look at the issue, and particularly because they looked at whole mtDna sequences.

Candela L. Hernandez et al:
[h=1]Early Holocenic and Historic mtDNA African Signatures in the Iberian Peninsula: The Andalusian Region as a Paradigm[/h]http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0139784

Abstract
"Determining the timing, identity and direction of migrations in the Mediterranean Basin, the role of “migratory routes” in and among regions of Africa, Europe and Asia, and the effects of sex-specific behaviors of population movements have important implications for our understanding of the present human genetic diversity. A crucial component of the Mediterranean world is its westernmost region. Clear features of transcontinental ancient contacts between North African and Iberian populations surrounding the maritime region of Gibraltar Strait have been identified from archeological data. The attempt to discern origin and dates of migration between close geographically related regions has been a challenge in the field of uniparental-based population genetics. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) studies have been focused on surveying the H1, H3 and V lineages when trying to ascertain north-south migrations, and U6 and L in the opposite direction, assuming that those lineages are good proxies for the ancestry of each side of the Mediterranean. To this end, in the present work we have screened entire mtDNA sequences belonging to U6, M1 and L haplogroups in Andalusians—from Huelva and Granada provinces—and Moroccan Berbers. We present here pioneer data and interpretations on the role of NW Africa and the Iberian Peninsula regarding the time of origin, number of founders and expansion directions of these specific markers. The estimated entrance of the North African U6 lineages into Iberia at 10 ky correlates well with other L African clades, indicating that U6 and some L lineages moved together from Africa to Iberia in the Early Holocene. Still, founder analysis highlights that the high sharing of lineages between North Africa and Iberia results from a complex process continued through time, impairing simplistic interpretations. In particular, our work supports the existence of an ancient, frequently denied, bridge connecting the Maghreb and Andalusia."


They're much clearer in the actual body of the paper, where they posit two peaks of migration, one about 10,000 ybp, and one in the historic era.
Thus, the most parsimonious model for the oldest demographic events and migrations across the Mediterranean Basin, based on mtDNA evidence, is the following: after 20 ky, U6 lineages had an extensive population expansion in northwest Africa, associated with the emergence of the Iberomaurusian industry in the Maghreb; this pool was further enriched by sub-Saharan L lineages, especially L1b, which began to arrive in North Africa in the beginning of the African Humid Period (AHP, ~11–5.5 ky BP) [57]; U6 and L lineages were introduced from northwest Africa into Iberia in the post-glacial period, most probably by the time of the Younger Dryas/beginning of the Holocene. The opening of the trans-Saharan communications with the African Humid Period, also allowed the southern migration of U6 sequences, and its local expansion as detected in the BSP for lineages observed in sub-Saharan Africa.

"The recent migration peaks identified in the FA of U6 and L lineages could be associated with the Islamic rule of Iberia and the slave trade period, respectively. The HVS-I FA attributes a comparatively lower proportion of these recently introduced sequences into Iberia when compared with the post-glacial one: 1/3 vs 2/3, respectively. The analysis performed by [26] on the phylogeography of L sequences observed in Iberia and remaining Europe pointed to 65% of its introduction in recent times (Romanization period, Islamic expansion and Atlantic slave trade), and 35% at older times, as earlier as 11ky. The complete sequence based FA for U6 agrees more with these results, attributing a half-half proportion of sequences in both periods, showing the higher resolution of complete mitogenomes. The historical-based expectation of a higher proportion of newly introduced U6 lineages in Andalusia was confirmed: 70% against 30% in the earlier migration."
Put more simply,based on the complete sequences and phylogeography, the split would be 50/50 ancient and modern, except for Andalusia, where it's a 30/70 ancient/historical era mix.


What I don't think is totally explained is the split between Western and Eastern Andalusia, unless there was a differing migration during the relocations after the Reconquista:

"Western Andalusians from Huelva show a distinctive African influence (11.8% of the total mtDNA variability) compared to those from the eastern part of the region (Granada province) where the proportion of African maternal haplogroups is much less pronounced (3.6%)".

They also used a very extensive collection of mtDna from all around the Mediterranean Basin to do some contour maps not only of U6a and L1b, which are in the body of the paper, but of all the African mtDna.
 
I always thought that there was Mesolithic migration from Africa to Europe through Gibraltar. IIRC there was some West African or SSA signal in WHG or even SHG. I'll try to find a moment tomorrow to read this in full.
 
it looks like remnants of mtDNA indicate pré-Berber migrations, while all Y DNA involved has been whiped out

Berbers are E-M81 and YFull estimates their TMRCA to be a mere 2100 years

apart from E-M81 Berbers and J1 Arab Muslims there is not much other Y DNA left in nortwestern Africa

Haplogroup-E-M81.gif


Haplogroup-J1.gif
 
J1 is not exclusively arab, only J1c3 is. Sarno calculated that J1 in south Italy and Sicily is:
However, the estimated age for Sicilian and Southern-Italian J1 haplotypes refers to the end of the Bronze Age (3261?1345 YBP), thus suggesting more ancient contributions from the East.
 
They're proposing a 50/50 split based on the whole mtDna sequences for a Muslim Era/early migration for Iberia as a whole, and 70/30 for Andalucia, which makes sense given how long it was under Muslim rule and the frequency in part of it.

As for the y that was involved I don't know. The mtDna for U6 as a whole matches the one for E-M81 very well, although I don't know how that can be if E-M81 is that young.

MtDna U6

Hernandez et al spatial distribution of mtDna U6.jpg

This is the one for U6a:
Hernandez et al spatial distribution of mtDna U6a.jpg

This is L1b:
Hernandez et al spatial distribution of mtDna L1b.jpg
 
I think the M1 map is very interesting as well.

View attachment 7475

It looks as if it's from a different part of North West Africa. It also looks as if it originally came from the east. I've always thought the whole Phoenician/Carthaginian thing was a bit overblown given the Phoenicians were traders, not colonists, and therefore probably a very male only mediated flow if any, but maybe the Carthaginians were different? That is around the area of the largest Carthaginian settlements isn't it?
 
Weren't carthaginians of phoenician origins?
 
They're proposing a 50/50 split based on the whole mtDna sequences for a Muslim Era/early migration for Iberia as a whole, and 70/30 for Andalucia, which makes sense given how long it was under Muslim rule and the frequency in part of it.

As for the y that was involved I don't know. The mtDna for U6 as a whole matches the one for E-M81 very well, although I don't know how that can be if E-M81 is that young.

MtDna U6

View attachment 7472

This is the one for U6a:
View attachment 7473

This is L1b:
View attachment 7474

afaik the Muslims that conquered first southern Spain were from the Omajade dynasty, who used to rule in Baghdad, but were expelled by fundamentalistic Muslims
those Omajade fugitives were mainly military men and had little women with them
they took the daughters of the beaten Visigoth rulers as hostages but had children with them
it has been told many Morish rulers dyed their hair to show they were genuine Morish and to conceal their blondness

in the 11 th century the Omajades in Spain were expelled by the fundamentalistic Almohavides from Morroco
 
I think the M1 map is very interesting as well.

View attachment 7475

It looks as if it's from a different part of North West Africa. It also looks as if it originally came from the east. I've always thought the whole Phoenician/Carthaginian thing was a bit overblown given the Phoenicians were traders, not colonists, and therefore probably a very male only mediated flow if any, but maybe the Carthaginians were different? That is around the area of the largest Carthaginian settlements isn't it?

the Phoenicians were traders, but when they were expelled from Lebanon by the Assyrians, they founded Carthago
 
I can not see M1 map.
 
the Phoenicians were traders, but when they were expelled from Lebanon by the Assyrians, they founded Carthago
Not only Carthage. They established emporiums through the Mediterranean basin.
 
I can not see M1 map.

Sorry, let me try it again.

Hernandez et al spatial distribution of mtDna M.jpg

It's probably just gene flow from a slightly different part of northwest Africa.

I was just musing based on the fact that the M1 shows up where it does in Spain and you
see it in Tunis.

cartagena-map-21.jpg
 
Yes, they were, but there's some indication they were a mixed Phoenician/Berber empire. Once the Levant was conquered I think the dynamic changed. They were on their own, as it were, trying to establish a new homeland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage

I presume this is correct also the Berber population in the new Phonetician home (later to be named Carthage) would overwhelm the new phonetician arrivals which at some point must have mixed. i believe that the J1 commonly found in these areas today are not just an addition with the rise of Islam but can also be through very ancient migrations
 
J1 is not exclusively arab, only J1c3 is. Sarno calculated that J1 in south Italy and Sicily is:

where did you see that J1c3 was exclusively arab?

There where no arabs in north-africa until after the fall of the Roman empire, so my guess for J1c3 , if arab was still in the arabian peninsula
 
I also think this map of the distribution of mtDna L3f is interesting.
Hernandez et al spatial distribution of mtDna L3f.jpg



That hotspot in France is pretty close to a hot spot of E-M81 in France. Perhaps this one makes sense as a recent Muslim Era trail that somehow wound up in France. I don't know if it's from the earliest foray up from Spain directly in the early days or the later one that came directly up the coast from the Mediterranean.

Haplogroup-E-M81.gif
 
where did you see that J1c3 was exclusively arab?

There where no arabs in north-africa until after the fall of the Roman empire, so my guess for J1c3 , if arab was still in the arabian peninsula

The Phoenicians were probably descendants of the Canaanites. We don't have ancient dna from the Canaanites, so we can't be certain what they carried. J2a is one good bet, but I wouldn't rule out certain clades of J1. I don't think all of it in the Levant is solely from the period after the "Arab" conquests, just as I don't think all of it in East Africa is that late.
 
where did you see that J1c3 was exclusively arab?

There where no arabs in north-africa until after the fall of the Roman empire, so my guess for J1c3 , if arab was still in the arabian peninsula
J1c3 is the dominant Y-DNA of semite speaking peoples.
 

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