I have been asked by a Sicily Project member to explain the results, both yDNA and mtDNA, for her uncle.
I don't have much problem with the yDNA results. I feel fairly certain that he is E3b-M81 (based on a comparison with 2 SNP-tested Sicily Project members who are M81+), which would indicate possible deep ancestry from the Berbers of North Africa. This makes sense given how close North Africa is to Sicily and the fact that Berbers probably made up much of the Muslim population in Sicily during the Middle Ages. She also has a very definite family story that the ancestors were "Arabs" who converted to Christianity when the Normans took over around 1100. Of course, many people might confuse Berbers with Arabs.
His mtDNA results came in yesterday with these mutations from CRS:
HVR1 - 16223T, 16320T, 16325C, 16519C
HVR2 - 73G, 150T, 195C, 263G, 309.1C, 315.1C
FTDNA gives his haplogroup as L3e2*.
I understand that this is a sub-Saharan African mtDNA group. This is actually the second sub-Saharan African mtDNA group in the Sicily Project, out of 83 results. The other Sicily Project member is an L0a1. So, any sub-Saharan African mtDNA haplogroup in the project is very unusual, about 2%.
Given the probable Berber deep ancestry, I'm thinking it's possible that L3 or L3e may be found at low levels in the North African population. This may be due to very ancient migrations or perhaps the Muslim involvement in the black African slave trade in historic times.
Does anybody know whether I'm on the right track here? Or should I look for another explanation for finding L3e2* in someone of Sicilian ancestry?
Mike Maddi
I don't have much problem with the yDNA results. I feel fairly certain that he is E3b-M81 (based on a comparison with 2 SNP-tested Sicily Project members who are M81+), which would indicate possible deep ancestry from the Berbers of North Africa. This makes sense given how close North Africa is to Sicily and the fact that Berbers probably made up much of the Muslim population in Sicily during the Middle Ages. She also has a very definite family story that the ancestors were "Arabs" who converted to Christianity when the Normans took over around 1100. Of course, many people might confuse Berbers with Arabs.
His mtDNA results came in yesterday with these mutations from CRS:
HVR1 - 16223T, 16320T, 16325C, 16519C
HVR2 - 73G, 150T, 195C, 263G, 309.1C, 315.1C
FTDNA gives his haplogroup as L3e2*.
I understand that this is a sub-Saharan African mtDNA group. This is actually the second sub-Saharan African mtDNA group in the Sicily Project, out of 83 results. The other Sicily Project member is an L0a1. So, any sub-Saharan African mtDNA haplogroup in the project is very unusual, about 2%.
Given the probable Berber deep ancestry, I'm thinking it's possible that L3 or L3e may be found at low levels in the North African population. This may be due to very ancient migrations or perhaps the Muslim involvement in the black African slave trade in historic times.
Does anybody know whether I'm on the right track here? Or should I look for another explanation for finding L3e2* in someone of Sicilian ancestry?
Mike Maddi
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