Question: Did the mutations that define haplogroups R1a and R1b both happen at the same time? In other words, do R1a and R1b necessarily have the same age?
I asked this question before in the R1a group, but no one seems to have a good answer. I ask because every age estimate I have seen gives the same age for R1a and R1b (e.g. 22,800 YA). But isn't it possible that one of them split off first, say R1b, while the mutation from R1 to R1a happened perhaps much later?
I guess the question applies equally to other haplogroup splits.
Best regards,
Jon
I asked this question before in the R1a group, but no one seems to have a good answer. I ask because every age estimate I have seen gives the same age for R1a and R1b (e.g. 22,800 YA). But isn't it possible that one of them split off first, say R1b, while the mutation from R1 to R1a happened perhaps much later?
I guess the question applies equally to other haplogroup splits.
Best regards,
Jon