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Y-chromosomal evidence of a pastoralist migration through Tanzania to southern Africa.
B.M. Henn1, P.A. Underhill2, A.A. Lin2, P.J. Oefner3, S.A. Tishkoff4, F. Cruciani5, P. Shen6, C. Gignoux1, and J.L. Mountain1,2. Departments of 1Anthropology and 2Genetics, Stanford University, 3Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Regensburg, 4Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 5Dipartmento di Genetica e Biologia Molecolare, Università “La Sapienza”, 6Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University.
The initial origin and mode of diffusion of pastoralism into southern Africa about 2,000 years ago continues to be debated among anthropologists. Were early instances of pastoralist package transmitted to southern central Africa by demic or cultural diffusion? Here we present a novel Y-chromosome specific mutation, E3b1f-M293, which is at high frequencies in pastoralist and huntergatherer groups across eastern and southern Africa, and now links the majority of haplotypes of the previously paraphyletic clade E3b1-M35*. Phylogeographic patterns of the E3b1f frequency distribution and associated microsatellite diversity are consistent with an migration through Tanzania to southern-central Africa. Our Y chromosomal evidence supports a demic diffusion model of pastoralism from eastern to southern Africa, possibly involving a Southern Nilotic-speaking population. The genetic distribution suggests that this dispersal was distinct from the later migration of Bantu-speaking peoples along a similar route. Instead, the expansion time of the E3b1f lineage correlates with archaeological evidence for the arrival of the pastoralist economy in southern Africa about 2,000 years ago.
rasol Member # 4592
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^ Very interesting. Can anyone add to the specifics involving archeology?
Djehuti Member # 6698
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^ Indeed, which populations were sampled and in what areas? Also, what about the actual cattle?-- Were any genetic analyses done on them??
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