I joined National Geographic's Genographic Project to map the human journey and its scientists ran a cutting-edge test of my DNA.
Here is what I learned about my ancient ancestry:
I Am
As humans were first migrating out of Africa more than 60,000 years ago, Neanderthals were still living in Eurasia. It seems our ancestors hit it off, leaving a small trace of these ancient relatives in my DNA.
I Am
I Am
- 45% Northern European
- 33% Mediterranean
- 18% Southwest Asian
- 2% Northeast Asian
My Map
My Maternal Lineage Began About 150,000 Years Ago.
My maternal ancestors carried farming culture from the region of the Fertile Crescent into Europe. This revolutionized not only the way food was grown but introduced a shift from a nomadic lifestyle to a settled one. Changes to tools, pottery, and weapons may not otherwise have been possible. Thus, my cousins have played an important role in the history of the Fertile Crescent region and of Europe.
My maternal branch is H1
My Paternal Lineage Began At Least 180,000 Years Ago.
My paternal ancestors left Africa and moved north through western and Central Asia. They then turned west and crossed the grasslands of southern Russia into Europe. There, they eventually drove the Neanderthals to extinction, though they did interbreed with them. Living a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, my early ancestors set the stage for later European history.
My paternal branch is R-DF19
