10 Gene Pools Test: Advanced

Another test that is also worth taking is the 10 Gene Pools Test: Advanced to check out whether you have European Bell Beaker, Yamnaya, Israelite, or other gene pool in your composition. The 50 Gene Pools Test is far more granular whereas the 10 gene pools test determines whether you may have some gene pools not shown on 50 gene pools test. 50 Gene pools test has far more gene pools than 10 gene pools test and is far more specific to particular regions, so both are recommended.

50 Gene Pools Test: Advanced

I took the 50 Gene Pools test which revealed what can be seen in the image next to the text (my results). for example. These are foundational gene pools which are based upon ancient populations with a particular genetic similarity which people today may have in their DNA if the ancient gene pool survived in them. We all have ancient gene pools in our DNA, but it is a matter of which ones we have. Check out the YouTube link: Rare Ancient Gene Pools by Ancient DNA Hub

Ancient Semitic Ancestry: Advanced

I then took the Ancient Semitic Ancestry test, and I was surprised to find what my results are which can be seen in the image next to the text. Unlike the gene pools and British Isles test, this test is based upon what languages these ancient people would have spoken and so that means that way back I would have had ancient Semitic Ethiopic speaking ancestors!

Culture Test - Vikings of Scotland: Advanced

Besides the Gene Pool tests, I have also taken culture tests which measures one's own similarity to historical figures where DNA has been extracted from ancient skeletons and compared with my DNA which finds out results. This form of testing is applicable to gene pool tests, ancient rare ancestry tests, or other culture tests. The similarity in culture tests to a particular individual within a culture above 10% is considered very high and substantial. My results are visible next to the text, and this is what the results screen for 'Ancient people' looks like. This is different from gene pool tests as this focuses on individuals (Vikings in Scotland for example). There are so many different culture tests from English Saxon to Native American cultures.

I took the Ancient British Isles Test and found my results satisfying but they cannot be read on their own, they need to be read in light of other Tests such as the 50 Gene Pools, Mythological Global, Ancient Semitic Ancestry, and 10 Gene Pools test to understand the influence of the global gene pool on the British gene pools originated from. The reason why one should do this is to get a far deeper and consistently connected foundation with the tests and eras which they represent. Some represent multiple eras such as the British Isles tests.

The 50 gene pools test and Mythology test global help with identifying influences from particular geographical regions while the 10 gene pools test labels Bronze and meso/neolithic gene pools, et cetera. The Ancient Semitic Ancestry test is useful if there are Israelites or Assyrian for example.

Now, for example I may look at similar percentages with some gene pools such as Ethiopic from the Semitic test and Neolithic South East African and make a deduction that the percentages with 2.5% difference may mean there is an association between those two gene pools. However the percentage similarity cannot be used for every region such as the Aegean with British Isles regions for example. It depends on the gene pools and that requires a bit of one's own research.

With low percentages I may look at similar regions with likely common ancestry. For example we have Israelites.and a very small amount below 2% of Moabite. The Moabite gene pool could be attributed to the Israelites or Hebrew gene pool.

Another method of understanding the tests together could be through looking at the influences of the Yamnaya in 10 gene pools test with North Persian and North West Asian in 50 gene pools test. Furthermore if you have British Isles and Bell Beakers, then the Bell Beakers would be one's ancestors too because they migrated into the British Isles.

The Mesolithic and Neolithic Asian would be associated with Persian, North West Asian and other very minor percentages in other Asian gene pools (like Indian or Chinese)

These are a few ways to analyse your heritage. I use the British Isles as an example as I am mostly British Isles in both my more recent (and ancient) ancestry.

LAYER 1 — DEEP PREHISTORIC HUNTER-GATHERER ROOTS (~12,000–5000 BCE)

The Mesolithic European ancestry can be seen indirectly through British Isles results, Yamnaya and Bell Beaker profile, with Celtic/Nordic continuity. This layer represents ancient hunter-gatherer populations who lived across Britain, Ireland, Northern Europe, and Western Europe. These groups were the descendants of Ice Age Europeans who colonized Europe after the last glacial maximum. My profile strongly suggests this ancestry survived especially through Celtic populations, Atlantic populations, and Northern European populations.

In Ancient British Isles Test:

1. The Wales & Devon & Somerset gene pool has influence from the ancient Slavs gene pool from over 13,000 years ago from where modern Ukraine is. This probably explains the Slavs gene pool in my composition.

2. The South England Gene pool has North Eurasian origins but the North West Asian associated with Southern England is much further back over 10,000 years ago. 

3. The East Midlands, the South East, and Scotland gene pool has origins from 10,000 years ago from the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers.

4. The West Ireland gene pool has origins from 8,000 years ago from the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers

5. The Gaelic-Brythonic gene pool has origins from 10,000 years ago from the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from the Nordic regions. This may explain at least some of the Nordic gene pool in my ethnicity.

LAYER 2 — EARLY FARMER AND WEST ASIAN EXPANSION (7000–3500 BCE)

The Neolithic farmer ancestry can be seen through the Aegean component, North West Asian overlap, Small Levantine/Semitic, and Mesolithic and Neolithic Asian component

This layer reflects the spread of farming populations from the Aegean, and the Levant. These populations gradually moved into Europe and mixed with native hunter-gatherers.

My profile suggests Moderate levels of Eastern Mediterranean farmer ancestry, with some ancient Near Eastern ancestry. It is not dominant, but definitely present

The stronger Aegean percentage likely reflects this old farmer ancestry mixed with later Greco-Roman-era influences.

In British Isles Test:

1. The Scotland gene pool has the Israelites gene pool as an influence as there are origins from the Southern Levant. Additionally, West Ireland also has Aegean DNA.

2. 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, the Neolithic farmers spread from the Aegean gene pool (and Anatolian and Eastern Europe) region influenced the West Ireland, Gaelic-Brythonic, South England, the South East, and East Midlands gene pools. This explains the Neolithic Farmer from the Aegean. I don't have Anatolian but do have Aegean.

LAYER 3 — STEPPE / YAMNAYA EXPANSION (~3300–2000 BCE)

One of my strongest ancient layers is seen directly in Yamnaya (37.6%), Bell Beakers (29.1%). This is extremely important in my profile.

The Yamnaya were steppe pastoralists from the Pontic-Caspian steppe who expanded across Europe during the Bronze Age. They are strongly associated with the spread of Indo-European language, Bronze Age migrations.

My percentages suggest a very strong steppe-derived European profile. This could be why I have North West Asian and North Persian (from Neolithic era) which the latter particularly more or less influenced the Yamnaya people.

Bell Beaker influence

The Bell Beaker expansion transformed Britain around ~2500 BCE. This migration replaced a large portion of the earlier Neolithic population in Britain.

My high Bell Beaker result strongly supports Deep British Isles continuity, Bronze Age Northwest European ancestry, and Proto-Celtic foundations. This may be one of the single strongest real historical layers in my DNA.

In British Isles Test:

1. South England, the South East, East Midlands, Scotland, Wales & Devon & Somerset, and West Ireland.

2. The Gaelic-Brythonic gene pool was influenced by Bell beakers from Western and Nordic Europe.

LAYER 4 — BRONZE AGE ATLANTIC-CELTIC FORMATION (~2500–500 BCE)

The Proto-Celtic, Celtic and Atlantic European development is seen in my Ancient British Isles profile. While the South East and East Midlands are likely influenced by Anglo-Saxon, other gene pools like West Ireland, Gaelic-Brythonic, Scotland, Wales & Devon & Somerset strongly indicate a more Celtic profile. This suggests long continuity and more Celtic from the following gene pool ancestors of mine. These gene pools would surely contain more levels of ancient Celtic Britons and Gaelic.

Some information about these gene pools

1. The Wales & Devon & Somerset gene pool is formed by people living in geographical proximity to one another, where they share the greatest genetic similarity. Migration from other regions may influence the gene pool over time, but it still retains markers characteristic of that region. For example, the South East gene pool has been more influenced by the Saxon migrations and therefore contains a stronger Germanic component than the Wales & Devon & Somerset gene pool, which retains a stronger Celtic Briton component. The South England gene pool also contains a substantial Celtic component because it includes Cornwall as well as the broader South England region.

Because the South East gene pool has been to some degree influenced by Saxons, it would indicate that one would have some level of Saxon ancestry although the amount of ancestry is unknown. Remember, Saxon cannot be demonstrated through a gene pool as a percentage of composition unlike 'Germans' for example because it is a culture not a gene pool. 

This is why the 50 rare gene pools test and the English Saxons culture test should be taken. On the 50 gene pools test if there is no 'Germans' on your genetic composition profile, it still means that one has Saxon ancestry but that the 'Germanic' component was never inherited. It may be that it was the Nordic component for example. 

The same could be said of the Southern England and Wales & Devon & Somerset gene pools which contain far more Celtic. This would mean that 'Celts' - the gene pool - may show up on one's 50 gene pool test (recommended), however it is also possible that it may not since the regions are mixed with different ethnic influences by different ancestors from different periods (Hunter-Gatherers from Mesolithic Age, Neolithic Farmers, Bell beakers from Bronze Age, Celts from Iron Age, and Saxons from Early Medieval era). One could have inherited few but not all of these gene pools. The GPS era helps with looking at the composition of gene pools for particular eras which would be interesting, but the 50 gene pools test balances out all eras (similar to the British Isles Test) and gives a balanced result.

2. On the British Isles Test map, some gene pools, such as the South Central-East and South East gene pools, overlap. This overlap simply means that different genetic groups were present within the same general region, such as around London. Although these groups are genetically distinct, they are still much more closely related to one another than to populations from regions such as Scotland

3. The Gaelic-Brythonic gene pool is most similar to the West Ireland and especially the Wales & Devon & Somerset gene pools, as reflected by the overlap on the map. However, it is distinct because it represents a gene pool formed through the mixing and intermarriage of Gaelic and Brythonic populations.

The Gaelic-Brythonic gene pool differs from the others since it does not describe gene pools based on people in 'regions' but instead based upon an ethnic group of Gaelic and Brythonic speaking people which mixed through shared migration to mostly East Ireland and mostly Wales region and intermarriage to form this gene pool. This gene pool while influenced by previous people groups (Nordic Hunter-Gatherers, et cetera) it is formed later by Celtic people which would unlike other gene pools guarantee Celts since this is what the gene is composed of.

4. Additionally, The East Midlands gene pool refers to Central East England populations.

This is where the Celts (21.8%) in the 50 and mythological global gene pools tests is likely associated with.

The Irish gene pool (8.3%) in 50 gene pools is likely associated with West Ireland and the Gaelic part of the hybrid Gaelic-Brythonic gene pool.

LAYER 5 — LEVANTINE / SEMITIC SIGNAL

There is a small but real secondary layer seen in Hebrew, Israelites, and Ethiopic.

The repeated Hebrew/Israelite signal across multiple calculators suggests there is genuine ancient Levantine-related ancestry. 

Because it repeats just above my 4% threshold, it is not pure noise, however, it is still relatively small compared with your Northwest European base. The small and real Levantine layer is embedded within a mostly Northwest European genome. It is likely to be from the Scotland gene pool as there is a neolithic Levantine link or possibly from Ashkenazi Jewish peoples who are ad-mixed with Israelites among other gene pools. The Semitic gene pools are associated with my Ethiopic gene pool, and both Semitic and Ethiopic gene pool reflect in my case ancient likely neolithic Levantine ancestry. This is also evidenced through the Neolithic South East African gene pool from 10 gene pools test.This is Semitic-associated ancestry and shared deep ancestry between Levantine and Horn of Africa populations from Semitic migrations into the Horn of Africa.

Since Ammonite and Moabite are below 3% it suggests the Semitic layer is present but probably associated with broadly Levantine ancestry associated with Israelites or Ethiopic rather than tied to one ancient tribe.

VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF VARIOUS GENE POOLS

The North Indian, South Indian, Indian (from Mythology test) South Persian, Assyrian (from Mythology test), Moabite (from Semitic test), Ammonite (from Semitic test), West, North, East and South Chinese, Chinese (from mythology test), and Alba early bronze age and alba bronze age (10 gene pools) are all under 4% and could be overlap or noise from common ancestors. The Moabite, Ammonite and Assyrian could be associated with the Ethiopic, Hebrew and Israelites. The South Persian is probably associated with North Persian, the Indian and chinese regions could be associated with either Persian and/or North West Asian. The Alba regions are probably associated with the Bell Beakers.