HACIA EL ORIGEN DE LOS VASCOS SECUENCIAS DE DNA MITOCONDRIAL ANTIGUO DEL PAÍS VASCO

Abstract

Toward the origin of the basques. Ancient mitochondrial DNA sequences of the Basque country. ABSTRACT.- The task of reconstructing the human past has generated more knowledge of the objects than of their manufacturers. Many of the technological advances, social and structural changes of the pre- and proto- history periods have been explained by demographic expansions and migratory movements. In recent years, Mo- lecular Archaeology has been contributing to the study of Prehistory by adding new information about the biolo- gical characteristics of ancient human populations. The direct genetic study of our ancestors with sophisticated molecular analysis techniques brings us closer to each particular individual. In time, it will be possible to draw up genetic maps of past populations and, thus, contrast the theories of regional and general population period by period. Among the different types of molecular analysis, those of ancient DNA seem to be the most interesting in spite of the technical limitations and the degradation of the DNA, since they deal directly with ancient human remains. This is the first publication of mitochondrial DNA sequences obtained from teeth of the Neolithic epoch in the Cave of Atxuri, and of the medieval period in San Juan de Momoitio, Garai (Biscay), which, together with those of the necropolis of the Alto de la Ermita of Amezaga (Alava) are, so far, the only ones published from the Iberian Peninsula. The results show clear mutational differences with respect to the more common sequence of current Europeans. In none of the 12 samples does the analysis detect haplogroup V, which is much debated in the current scientific literature about the origin of the Basques. The contribution of these sequences is a qualita- tive leap in the study of prehistory. Due to the small number of individuals available to date, general conclusions cannot be drawn.