Since my last call for more participation from the Balkans, I was able to create a new Bulgarian_D sample of 5 participants. Together with the Greek_D sample, the Balkans_D sample of non-Greek, non-Bulgarian project members, the Behar et al. (2010) Romanians, and the Xing et al. (2010) Slovenians (the latter on a smaller number of markers), we are beginning to get a better feel of genetic variation in the Balkans. There have been several other averages that have been adjusted with more participation; all of them can be seen in the Dodecad v3 spreadsheet.
The table below shows the major components (>1%) in the available Balkan populations.
The Bulgarian average as it stands seems reasonably close to the Romanian one, and is characterized by balanced West/East European components; in this balance it resembles Greeks, who, however, have lower levels of both components and higher levels of the Mediterranean/West Asian/Southwest Asian components.
Slovenians contrast with Hungarians in having reverse West/East European levels, and with their neighboring Italians in having quite a bit more of the East European component, and quite a bit less of the Mediterranean one. Bulgarians/Romanians contrast with Slavic groups from eastern Europe in having less East European and more Mediterranean/West_Asian.
Hopefully before long, more participation from the western/central Balkans (Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, Montenegrins, Albanians, Slav Macedonians) will allow us to fill more holes in our understanding of the genetic landscape of Southeastern Europe.
1. would moldova count as balkan? are there any DOD moldovan?
ReplyDelete2. isnt't it a Romanian_D sample of at least 5?
3. romania having a 20+ M population and large territory and being at crossroads of balkans (south romania), central europe (transylvania), eastern europe (western moldavia), wouldn't it be interesting to also check these regions apart?
thanks!
1. I guess I would count Moldova as Balkan, but I don't have an Moldovans yet.
ReplyDelete2. No
3. It would, so any Moldovans, Romanians, Szeklers, etc. are welcome to join the Project. As are Aromuns from throughout the Balkans, Roma, and so on.
Dieneke, do you include the full or partial Balkan Roma Dodecad participants (assuming there are some) in the Balkans_D population?
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ReplyDeleteAfter comparing the results here with my individual and my uncle's results some ideas crossed m mind.I'm greek from the region of thessaly(DOD852).According to v3 my west european component is about 25% while my uncle's(mother's side) is about 30%.Another project member with partial ancestry from central greece also has quite high for greece west european component at about 20%.My eastern european component along with my uncle's is at about 11%.So we notice that we have west european admixture similar to that of northern balkan populations but the eastern european proportion of greece.Many people from thessaly have aromanian/vlach origin.A byzantine author named Cecaumenos states that aromanians came from the region of sava river in modern serbia.I think we should consider the possibility that aromanians were originally from northern balkans and came to greece before the slavic invasions since they have east euro admixture similar to greeks.Also trying to explain the relatively high west euro component in northern balkans I m thinking of the celtic invasions(belgrade has the largest celtic cemetary in europe) or maybe peoples like illyrians could have west european connections right from their begining.As a hint mythology wants Illyrian to be brother to Celt and Gaul.Maybe genetics in the end will prove true sources that otherwise would be given little importance.
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