EARTH BIOGENOME PROJECT

https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/the-race-to-save-the-worlds-dna 

MY ORIGINS (as found by Family Tree DNA)

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes: 22 autosomal and one pair of sex chromosomes. The autosomal chromosomes that are inherited from both the paternal and maternal lines and therefore provide a rich source of information on our total inherited ancestry. 

A customer can get his or her autosomal chromosomes tested by Family Tree DNA FTDNA and get a copyrighted report from DNA on one's deep origins. The following is the copyrighted FTDNA report on my origins and confirms that they are deeply linked with the Indus Valley Civilisation and the ensuing migration from the Harappa region after its fall as I have described in detail in my book The Last Prabhu. 

The report finds my origins to be 98% Central/South Asian broken down into 45% Central Asia and 53% South Central Asia.  There is a trace amount of East Central Africa, probably remnants from the first humans who migrated out of Africa and a trace amount from Oceania that may be simply background noise.

 

Central Asia

45%

The Central Asia cluster consists of present day Pakistan, Kashmir, Northern India, and Western Nepal. Trade was a paramount factor for populations and civilizations in this cluster, not only facilitating growth, but also aiding in the downfall of some of the large civilizations in Central Asia.

The extensive history of conquest and trade between the Central Asia cluster and surrounding populations has resulted in shared similarities with populations of the Middle East, and Europe. However, for thousands of years, populations in Northern India remained linguistically, technologically, and genetically divergent from populations in South India until a shift in interaction roughly 4,200 years ago.

One of the early societies of this region is the Indus Valley civilization of Harappa, which experienced both a rapid growth as well as a swift fall; both of which may largely be attributed to changes in trade with other civilizations – namely along the Persian Gulf, and the Mesopotamian cities of Sumer and Elam. The enormous size of Harappa (500,000 sq.km at its most mature) necessitated trade, as the urban centers were located on floodplains and were almost completely devoid of raw materials. Harappa lasted from 2600 – 1900 BCE and is credited with its standardization of script (which has yet to be deciphered), urban planning, and even a common weight series.

Invasions and conquests from Persia in 516 BCE, and Alexander the Great two centuries later, left lasting imprints in this region and contributed to the genetic and cultural heritage of Central Asia. Following Alexander the Great’s conquest, warring kingdoms along the Ganges valley in Nepal were unified and the Mauryan Empire spread in all directions. The Mauryan Empire remained the leading force in Central Asia from 325 – 185 BCE, and maintained regular contact with populations in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and Mainland China. The trade routes discovered by the Mauryan Empire are still in use today, as they were the first to exploit the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean, connecting them to the Roman empire.

South Central Asia

53%

The South India cluster is comprised of present day Southern India, and Sri Lanka. Until roughly the 6th millennium BCE, Peninsular India and Sri Lanka were connected by land. Modern humans arrived in this region roughly 34,000 years ago. However, complex societies did not develop until much later, and much of the ancient history of the South India cluster is comprised of smaller, largely egalitarian and sometimes mobile communities.

In present day context, this cluster is intimately connected to the Central Asian cluster; however, early divergence between the Central Asia cluster and the South India cluster is evident until roughly 4,000 years ago, and is typically divided by the Narmada River. This division is further encouraged by the use of different language families, as well as a staggered timeline for both the adoption of farming practices, and the admixture of Indo-European influence between these regions. The end of this division coincides with the fall of the Indus Valley civilizations, as well as increased trade with Roman sailors. This suggests that these two populations were culturally isolated from one another until this fall, with civilization centers moving east and south to the Ganges, thus facilitating interaction between these two clusters.

Ancient populations in the South India cluster spoke languages from the Dravidian family, a family of languages that is not found outside of Southern Asia. Smaller agrarian and pastoral communities who are known for their complex megalithic tombs, dominated in this cluster until roughly the 1st century CE when Roman traders in the Indian Ocean appeared. This cultural convergence opened the South India cluster up to intensified international trade, which was further encouraged with participation along the Silk Road.

With increased trade and urbanization, the South India cluster witnessed its first large civilization – the Satavahana dynasty which lasted from 27 BCE to the 3rd century CE. All rulers of this dynasty are recognized as having participated in trade along the Silk Road, further solidifying the importance the Silk Road played on the rise and fall of ancient civilizations.