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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2007-09 > 1188681236


From: "R. Stevens" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Abstract: Ancient DNA as a Means toInvestigatetheEuropeanNeolithic
Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 17:13:56 -0400
References: <461790.84243.qm@web86613.mail.ird.yahoo.com>


----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan R" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2007 4:19 PM
Subject: Re: [DNA] Abstract: Ancient DNA as a Means toInvestigatetheEuropean
Neolithic


> I really wouldn't take any
> genetically derived dates seriously at present.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I agree with that advice.

My impression is that much of the dating is based on preconceived notions.
In other words, we think this or that haplogroup was in this or that place
during the LGM, so it must have been and must therefore be at least that old
there.

And the ideas that precede the dating are based on the study of the
distribution of haplogroups among modern populations and founded on the
notion that if a haplogroup is in the majority in a particular place, it got
there first.

If the data do not match the hypothesis and tend to show a much younger age
than required, then a fudge factor is employed based on the belief that the
hypothesis must be right, therefore something occurred to decrease the
apparent age of the haplogroup in question.

That may be right, but how can one tell absent other evidence?

Rich


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