Family Tree Research Articles

[Family reconstitution and online genealogies to analyze the sex-specific differential mortality in the historical context].

Family reconstitution and data from online genealogies, such as FamiLinx, are two potential sources for investigating mortality dynamics for the period before official lifetables became available. In this paper, we use two of them, the family reconstitution of Imhof and the FamiLinx dataset based on geni.com, to estimate dynamics in life expectancy and discuss the sex-specific differential mortality in the German Empire. Sex-specific lifetables are estimated for the territory of the German Empire from the individual data of the family reconstitution and the online genealogies. On the basis of these lifetables, we estimate the conditional life expectancy and derive the corresponding sex-specific differential mortality. Findings are compared with the official lifetable of the German Empire in 1871-1910. The contribution of each age group to the differential mortality is determined using the stepwise-replacement algorithm. The family reconstitution overestimates conditional life expectancy less than FamiLinx after 1871, when official lifetables are available in the German Empire. However, both sources fail to capture the sex-specific mortality differentials of the official lifetables at the end of the nineteenth century and show ahigher life expectancy for males instead of females. The bias in sex-specific mortality rates is particularly pronounced in the age groups 15to45. Finally, we discuss possible explanations for the biased findings. Notability bias, the patriarchal approach to family trees, and maternal mortality are important mechanisms in the FamiLinx dataset. Censoring due to mobility serves as apotential reason for the bias in the family reconstitution.

Clinical Case Report: Use of Essential Oils in Chronic Dermal Wound

Currently, there is a trend towards adopting treatments with more natural alternative products over synthetic ones. Essential oils are known for their numerous medicinal properties (from physical to emotional issues) and have been used by the population for millennia. They contain volatile compounds that have therapeutic properties. Their complex chemical composition provides plants with adaptive advantages in their environment and can be used as important active principles in products intended for human treatment. Essential oils also have antioxidant properties, preventing cellular damage and premature aging (such as lemon, lavender, and sweet orange essential oils, for example). Regarding antimicrobial properties, various essential oils have shown activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. For example, tea tree oil has been effective against various bacteria and fungi, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Candida albicans. Additionally, essential oils are widely used for analgesic purposes, such as peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and clove, or essential oils that can reduce anxiety, improve mood, and promote relaxation like lavender, sweet orange, bergamot, and ylang-ylang. Another interesting oil is used in important ingredients in incenses and perfumes, the extract from gum resins obtained from the Burseraceae family trees (Boswellia sp.) that have anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic effects. Chemical components like linalool, linalyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol, 1,8 cineole, pinenes, γ-terpinene, borneol, limonene, α-thujene, and menthol are some of the main components found in various essential oils. The most abundant phenol in oregano essential oil is a potent antibacterial agent. The aim was to report an individual clinical case, in home care, requested by a physical educator, of a female patient, leucoderma, 74 years old, residing in the State of São Paulo, presenting a chronic wound in the posteroinferior region of the right leg that was not responding to conventional methods (antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, analgesics, in addition to laser therapy) for more than two months. She also faced respiratory problems, sleep difficulties, mild depression, and reduced mobility. She reported being a controlled diabetic, hypertensive, and having occupational asthma. As a requested choice, aromatherapy was the sought treatment, and a protocol was established considering both physical and emotional aspects, recommending topical and aromatic use of essential oils of oregano, lavender, tea tree, frankincense, in addition to fractionated coconut and rosehip vegetable oils as diluents. After 47 days, the wound had healed, and the patient showed optimism and improved sleep quality. Aromatherapy offers a holistic and gentle approach to treating various conditions, and this case is an inspiring example of how essential oils can make a difference in people's lives. However, more clinical studies with a larger population are necessary to investigate the treatment's efficacy and safety.

Contemporaneity of the Tree of Life Image in the Towels of Poltava Region of the 19th and 20th Centuries

The purpose of the article consists in identifying and analysing the ornaments of traditional towel embroidery of the Poltava region of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the peculiarities of the technique and technology of their production with a focus on the Tree of Life motif for the full reproduction of its authentic meaning in contemporary design.
 Research methodology is based on the methods of comparison, analysis and analogies used for a detailed literature analysis. Induction and deduction methods were useful for identifying the characteristic manifestations of the Poltava tradition against the background of embroidered towels of Ukraine. The typological and comparative methods were used in the study of the Poltava region territorial features. The historical method made it possible to study and identify the sequence of embroidery formation, symbolic and semantic features in embroidered towels. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the comparison of the principles of depicting the Tree of Life in embroidered towels of Podillia, Polissia, and Poltava region of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; in the formation of a semiotic meanings list of the Tree of Life in towels of Poltava region, which have been scattered in various scientific works. The article provides recommendations for compliance with the authentic content in the interpretation of the symbolic elements of the Tree of Life image in the products of modern designer clothing brands. Conclusions. The Tree of Life is a complex ornamental element of embroidery, especially evident in the Poltava region, and has a wide range of symbolic meanings: a cosmogonic model of the world, the trinity of the three worlds, Family Tree, Mother Guardian, Holy Trinity, and Our Lady Oranta. In the Poltava region, the image of the Tree of Life in towels has been a well-established tradition since the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with characteristic details in the form of fancy flowers. One of the reasons for the levelling of the sacred and magical load of the Tree-Flower in the ornamental compositions of modern clothing brands can be considered a tendency to generally lighten the informational and philosophical content of the product following consumer tastes. Some Ukrainian designers and brands demonstrate options for models of a successful combination of folklore motifs and authentic tradition with modern fashion trends. Individual Ukrainian designers and brands demonstrate variants of models that successfully combine folklore motifs and authentic tradition with modern fashion trends. Brands recreate traditional embroidery in their own interpretation, so the variety of techniques and technologies for demonstrating embroidery has a rich potential for development.

“The Past Is Never Dead. It’s Not Even Past” (Faulkner, 1919 Requiem for a Nun p. 85): Mapping and Taking Care of the Ghosts in Adoption

The Code of Ethics of the Association of Professional Genealogists promotes the communication of coherent, clear, and well-organised information). It is not that simple when adoption features in a family’s history. This paper suggests that standard approaches to family tree-construction will struggle to capture the complexities, gaps, and challenges posed by adoption. Firstly, the paper makes the case for family historians having an alertness to adoption by noting the number of people affected by adoption. It then goes on to look at the literature that argues that adoption involves erasures of birth families and makes ghosts of them. Adoption also creates possible selves and lives; the adopted person’s “could-have-beens” had there been no adoption, the biological child that the adoptive parents might have had and could not, the birth mother’s life with the child lost to adoption. These presences and possibilities haunt all involved in adoption, and writers have posited the existence of a “ghost kingdom”. This paper maps out a greater ghost world of adoption, paradoxically full of life, and because of access to birth records, a world that offers a much greater potential for materialisation. The paper avoids the traditional notions of ghosts as things to be shunned or as representatives of pathologies. Instead, it asks for respect for the “not-dead”/“not-past” of adoption and for family history researchers, a capacity to embrace the jumbled, the murky, and the disorganised. People everywhere are increasingly constructing their own family trees, with all the potential for pleasant surprise but also the shock that this might bring. Should genealogists overlook adoption’s ghosts then they overlook the opportunity to professionally map a rich and varied world of family knowledge and connections. The paper concludes with this observation coupled with a discussion of other associated ethical implications of family history work where adoption features.

Public Perspectives on Investigative Genetic Genealogy: Findings from a National Focus Group Study

Background Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) is a technique that involves uploading genotypes developed from perpetrator DNA left at a crime scene, or DNA from unidentified remains, to public genetic genealogy databases to identify genetic relatives and, through the creation of a family tree, the individual who was the source of the DNA. As policymakers demonstrate interest in regulating IGG, it is important to understand public perspectives on IGG to determine whether proposed policies are aligned with public attitudes. Methods We conducted eight focus groups with members of the public (N = 72), sampled from four geographically diverse US regions, to explore general attitudes and perspectives regarding aspects of IGG practices, applications, and policies. Five major topics were explored in each focus group: when IGG should be used; who should perform IGG; how to approach consent for genetic database users; what systems of oversight should govern IGG practitioners; and whether to notify database users if their data are involved in law enforcement (LE) matching. Results Participants were supportive of IGG in most scenarios, especially for cold and violent cases. The favorable attitudes toward IGG were, however, tempered by distrust of law enforcement among some participants. All participants agreed that databases must inform users if IGG is allowed, but they did not agree on how individual database users should be allowed to opt out or whether to notify them if their data are involved in specific investigations. All participants agreed that IGG should be subject to some prescriptive guidelines, regulations, or accountability mechanisms. Conclusions These findings suggest broad public support for IGG, and interest in developing systems of accountability for its practice. Our study provides useful insight for policy makers, genomic database stewards, law enforcement, and other stakeholders in IGG’s practice, and suggests multiple directions for future research.

Inventing Ancestors and Limited Empiricism in Chosŏn Korea: A Case of the Kigye Yu Lineage

Abstract This paper investigates how the members of the Kigye Yu lineage imagined and invented their ancestral roots during the Chosŏn dynasty (1392–1910) and how such a pursuit of ancestral origins led to subsequent developments in genealogical records. As early as the fifteenth century, Chosŏn elites began to show interests in genealogy that included identifying remote ancestors from ancient times for various political, social, and cultural reasons. From the seventeenth century, the transformation of kinship organization in line with the Confucian ideal of patriliny and elites’ competition for power and prestige intensified genealogical consciousness. Elites became heavily invested in searching for ancestral origins in the form of their lineages’ founders and their tombs. While claiming to rely on documentary and physical evidence, elites often deviated from their professed empiricism and adopted evidence from dubious sources such as oral testimonies and geomancy to rationalize invented ancestral roots. Such pliable approaches, often observed in other early modern cultures such as late imperial China and Europe, opened a floodgate of lineages glorifying their ancestry by pushing their origins back even to mythical founders of ancient Korean and Chinese kingdoms, and adorning their lineages with invented heroes. At the same time, loopholes and blank spots in genealogies enabled quasi- and nonelites to become a member of prominent lineages by grafting their names onto their family trees.

“It's just a technological version of us”: Three‐generation family WhatsApp groups in Israel

AbstractObjectiveThis qualitative study analyzes communication practices, roles, and rules developed by family members while participating in a three‐generation WhatsApp family group (WFG).BackgroundAlthough instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp have become increasingly popular with families worldwide, study findings of the digital family formation process, roles, rules, and family communication styles have remained fragmented. Combining the rich familism ideology with technological skills makes the Israel digital family a good study case.MethodWe conducted 43 semistructured interviews with WFG participants representing three generations of Jewish Israeli families.ResultsAll WFGs were organized in the form of a three‐generation family tree, including one or a couple of older people in the core and a significant number of their younger relatives in the upper tree levels, where WFG membership was used as a marker of family belonging. WFG members played roles of kinkeepers, flickerers (rarely commenting participants), and silent warm experts. WFGs used two rules for communication—problematic discourse avoidance and exaggerated writing style—and two strategies for enforcing those rules—temporarily excluding rule breakers from the general group or ignoring messages of offending participant(s).ConclusionMaintaining the WFG is not a single initiative but a collective, well‐coordinated endeavor of all family generations, which helps to include grandparents in the digital family, gives WFG participants a sense of family belonging, and reproduces the image of the untroubled family.ImplicationsThe research findings can be helpful for educators, family therapists, social workers, and social policy professionals. Moreover, the study's results can benefit families who want to open WhatsApp family groups.

The Zoroastrian Manuscripts of the Rostam Jāmāsb’s Family and a New Dating of Videvdād 4100

Abstract The manuscripts of two sons of Rostam Jāmāsb, Tīrān and Šahrām, are thematized in various works, including Mazdapour, Andrés-Toledo and Cantera, Boroumand Amin, Cantera, Martínez-Porro. One of the important manuscripts of this family is Videvdād 4100. Previous scholarship indicates that this manuscript was copied in 1871 AD. This date has been used as a basis for further orthographical and palaeographical analysis of this family’s manuscripts and for clarifying their relationship to other Avestan manuscripts. In this article, however, I argue that this date is incorrect. Furthermore, it has led to ambiguities in dating and interpretation of orthographical and palaeographical characteristics of other Rostam Jāmāsb manuscripts. Based on genealogical information from the colophons of the family’s Avestan manuscripts, as well as the results from other Zoroastrian manuscripts newly discovered, I review previous attempts to date the family’s manuscripts and offer a new dating for ms. 4100. I also aim to reconstruct the family tree of the Rostam Jāmāsb family as well as the history of their manuscripts. I argue that uncertainty of the calendar era in the colophons and marginalia yields incorrect results, highlighting the importance of considering all calendar era variants for correct evaluation of data.

“Kauaka e kōrero mō te Awa, kōrero ki te Awa: An Awa-Led Research Methodology” (Don’t Talk about the Awa, Talk with the Awa)

Indigenous people continue to develop methods to strengthen and empower genealogical knowledge as a means of conveying histories, illuminating current and past values, and providing important cultural frameworks for understanding their nuanced identities and worlds across time and space. Genealogies are more than simply a record of a family tree; they are a rich tapestry of ancestral links, representing a tradition of thought and connection to entities beyond the human. This article proposes an Iwi-specific methodological approach to conducting research based on the specific paradigms (ontological and epistemological) of Māori (Indigenous peoples of New Zealand) from the region of Te Awa Tupua in the North Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand. A Whanganui world view can be actioned as an operating system within research by developing a bespoke place-based methodology drawing on kōrero tuku iho (ancestral wisdom) to conduct research amongst a genealogical group with whakapapa (genealogical connection) to a distinct geographic locale. This methodological shift allows the inclusion of human research participants and more-than-human, including Te Awa Tupua (an interconnected environment around the Whanganui River) and Te Kāhui Maunga (ancestral mountains that feed the Whanganui river) as living ancestors. Whanganui ways of knowing, doing, and being underpin a worldview that situates Te Awa Tupua and tāngata (people) as inter-related beings that cannot maintain their health and wellbeing without the support of one another.

The strength of the phylogenetic signal in syntactic data

While phonological change has played a central role in assessing linguistic relatedness since the nineteenth century, the usefulness of syntactic change for this purpose has remained debated – despite recent work on the question with a variety of results. In our study, we analyze the phylogenetic signal of syntactic data using state-of-the-art Bayesian algorithms and the SSWL database (Koopman 2012–). With the phylogenetic model, we infer a minimally biased family tree. We find that, generally, the phylogenetic signal in the syntactic dataset is low. The model fails to infer larger-order subgroupings that would be found further back in time. This is in contrast to the clear-cut groupings we can obtain from running this type of model on phonological databases. This raises the question how well these syntactic properties encode phylogenetic information. As it stands, the model fails to provide evidence for strong phylogenetic signal despite the rich dataset and methods.

Effectiveness of Using Local Wisdom-Based Teaching Materials on Understanding Family Genealogy Material in Class II Students of UPT SD Negeri 002 Kuapan

This research aims to see the effectiveness of using local wisdom-based teaching materials on understanding family tree material in class II students at UPT SD Negeri 002 Kuapan. The type of approach used in this research is a quantitative approach with experimental methods. The form of this research is Pre-Experimental with a One-Group-Pretest-Posttest Design research design. The subjects of this research were class II students at UPT SD Negeri 002 Kuapan as an experimental class. This research used teaching materials based on local wisdom in two learning meetings. The research results show that the pretest results obtained an average of 57.40 and the posttest results were 86.80. Hypothesis test calculations obtained a sig (2-tailed) result of 0.000 0.05 which shows that there is a significant difference in increasing understanding of family genealogy material in class II students at UPT SD Negeri 002 Kuapan before and after using local wisdom-based teaching materials. Based on the results of the N-Gain test, it was found that the experimental class learning outcomes increased by 71.56% in the high and effective category. In observing students' learning activities at meetings I and II, the average percentage score was 81.4% and 82.8% in the Active category.

Kinship, heritage, and ethnic choice: ethnolinguistic registration across four generations in contemporary Finland

Abstract We studied how individuals’ ethnolinguistic affiliation relates to the ethnolinguistic structure of kinship in contemporary Finland, a society in which Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking ethnolinguistic groups have coexisted for centuries and mixed marital unions are common. Using multigenerational data from the population register, we determined how the ethnolinguistic registration of children born in 1990–2015 relates to three generations of ancestors. We created a family tree that links children to their parents, four grandparents and eight great grandparents. Our intention was to both map the ethnolinguistic background of young people and predict a child’s affiliation based on their ancestry. The data revealed that ethnolinguistic affiliation is a more fluid and complex feature than expected when assessed only through child and parental characteristics. We found substantial diversity in ethnolinguistic background within the Swedish-speaking minority group, while most individuals in the Finnish-speaking majority group had a uniform background. We identified three types of bias in the ethnolinguistic affiliation of mixed-origin children: a matrilineal bias, a kinship majority bias and a Swedish ethnic minority bias. The analyses advanced our understanding of how the size of minority groups can shrink even when most couples in mixed unions favour minority group affiliation for their children.

Male Pedigree Toolbox: A Versatile Software for Y-STR Data Analyses.

Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are widely used in forensic, genealogical, and population genetics. With the recent increase in the number of rapidly mutating (RM) Y-STRs, an unprecedented level of male differentiation can be achieved, widening and improving the applications of Y-STRs in various fields, including forensics. The growing complexity of Y-STR data increases the need for automated data analyses, but dedicated software tools are scarce. To address this, we present the Male Pedigree Toolbox (MPT), a software tool for the automated analysis of Y-STR data in the context of patrilineal genealogical relationships. The MPT can estimate mutation rates and male relative differentiation rates from input Y-STR pedigree data. It can aid in determining ancestral haplotypes within a pedigree and visualize the genetic variation within pedigrees in all branches of family trees. Additionally, it can provide probabilistic classifications using machine learning, helping to establish or prove the structure of the pedigree and the level of relatedness between males, even for closely related individuals with highly similar haplotypes. The tool is flexible and easy to use and can be adjusted to any set of Y-STR markers by modifying the intuitive input file formats. We introduce the MPT software tool v1.0 and make it publicly available with the goal of encouraging and supporting forensic, genealogical, and other geneticists in utilizing the full potential of Y-STRs for both research purposes and practical applications, including criminal casework.

Investigative genetic genealogy for human remains identification.

Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) has emerged as a highly effective tool for tying a forensic DNA sample to an identity. While much of the attention paid to IGG has focused on cases where the DNA is from an unknown suspect, IGG has also been used to help close hundreds of unidentified human remains (UHR) cases. Genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data can be obtained from forensic samples using microarray genotyping or whole-genome sequencing (WGS) with protocols optimized for degraded DNA. After bioinformatic processing, the SNP data can be uploaded to public GG databases that allow law enforcement usage, where it can be compared with other users' data to find distant relatives. A genetic genealogist can then build the family trees of the relatives to narrow down the identity of the source of the forensic DNA sample. To date, 36 UHR identifications using IGG have been publicly announced. The same IGG techniques developed and refined for UHR cases have significant potential for disaster victim identification, where DNA is often extremely compromised, and close family references may not be available. This paper reviews the laboratory, bioinformatic, and genealogical techniques used in IGG for UHR cases and presents three case studies that demonstrate how IGG is assisting with remains identification.

IGG in the trenches: Results of an in-depth interview study on the practice, politics, and future of investigative genetic genealogy

Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) is a new technique for identifying criminal suspects and unidentified deceased and living persons that has sparked controversy. In a criminal case, the technique involves uploading genetic information left by a putative perpetrator at the crime scene to one or more direct-to-consumer genetic genealogy databases with the intention of identifying the perpetrator's genetic relatives and, eventually, locating the perpetrator on the family tree. In 2018, IGG helped to identify the Golden State Killer, and it has since been used in hundreds of investigations in the United States. Here, we report findings from in-depth interviews with 24 U.S.-based individuals involved in IGG that are relevant to the technique’s current practice and predicted future. Key findings include: an emphasis on restricting IGG as a conceptual and technical matter to lead generation; the rapid growth of a private and largely self-regulating industry to support IGG; general recognition of three categories of cases associated with distinct practical, ethical, and policy questions, as well as varying degrees of controversy; and the significant influence of perceived public opinion on IGG practice. The experiences and perspectives of individuals in the IGG trenches related to these and other issues are potentially useful inputs to ongoing efforts to regulate the technique.

Front and Back Covers, Volume 40, Number 1. February 2024

Front and back cover caption, volume 40 issue 1EYE IN THE SKY: ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE DRONE ERAA civilian contractor launches a V‐BAT surveillance and reconnaissance drone from the USS Rushmore in the Philippine Sea. Manufactured by the California‐based startup Shield AI, the V‐BAT takes off vertically and operates autonomously without operator guidance or GPS (global positioning system). Its ‘swarming’ capability allows for potential combat use.Drones have had a profound impact in theatres of war for decades, causing lethal outcomes for combatants and non‐combatants alike. The US‐led ‘war on terror’ in regions like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen has seen drone strikes causing tens of thousands of deaths, including many civilians. Beyond the direct, destructive impact, American drone pilots report significant mental health issues like anxiety, depression and PTSD due to the nature of remote‐controlled warfare.Recent conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have seen an expansion in the types of drones used, ranging from inexpensive commercial drones with explosives to advanced armed drones. While traditionally operated remotely, there is an increasing shift towards autonomous functioning.This escalation in drone warfare technology, particularly the development of lethal autonomous weapon systems, has led to warnings of a global AI arms race involving powers like the US, China and Russia. The concept of ‘sensor‐to‐shooter’ machine learning infrastructures by military planners underscores the ethical, moral and sociopolitical dilemmas in a world increasingly leaning towards algorithmic warfare.In this issue, Roberto González argues that anthropologists need to illuminate how drone warfare impacts societies, the effects on both operators and targeted populations and the broader sociopolitical implications of autonomous weapons. This critical, publicly oriented anthropological perspective is essential to navigating the complex interplay of technology, ethics and human values in modern warfare, offering a deeper understanding of the societal impacts of these rapidly evolving military technologies.UNRAVELLING ‘REAL’ KINSHIPThis thought‐provoking Illustration shows the contrast between the idealized concept of unilineal descent and the intricate realities of kinship in everyday life. The left side of the image displays a simplified, stylized, unilineal family tree. With its clear, vertical lines, this depiction symbolizes kinship as a straightforward, linear progression. It embodies an idealized perspective on lineage, where relationships are traced through a single ancestral line, mirroring classical kinship theory.Conversely, the right side of the image presents a more complex and interwoven family tree. This part challenges the simplistic notions of unilineal descent, revealing kinship's rich, multifaceted nature. Here, the interconnected lines represent a spectrum of relationships extending beyond mere descent, encompassing marriage, adoption, communal ties and other social bonds. These aspects are frequently marginalized in conventional kinship models but, as anthropologists know, they are essential to understanding the full scope of human connections.Sabina Cveček's insightful analysis in this issue shows how archaeologists’ interpretation of unilineal kinship systems tend to be incomplete. Her work underscores the disparity between theoretical models and the nuanced realities of kinship, prompting a call for a more dynamic interpretation of kinship as a socially constructed and evolving network. This illustration invites introspection on the diversity and complexity of kinship and advocates a more inclusive and holistic approach to studying human relationships.Cveček argues that the dichotomy between idealized models and actual kinship dynamics is a recurring theme in anthropological literature. Anthropology remains crucial in understanding the depths and dimensions of kinship systems, even in today's era of scientific advancements like ancient DNA analysis.

ACTOR OF THE GERMAN CITY THEATRE IN RIGA – ALEXANDER DEUBNER AND HIS FAMILY

The research stage prior to historic building restoration more often comes with essential discoveries in the field of construction and the history of interior design, however, occasionally more fragile historical evidence, such as photographs and documents, are found. This is the case of the Deubners’ House, located at Skārņu Street 6 in Riga. Many family’s historical documents covering the period from the middle of the 19th century to 1940 were found during the restoration work undertaken on the Deubner’s House in the 1980s. In 2020, these historical documents were handed over to researchers. They revealed a great deal of unknown about the German City Theatre actor Alexander Deubner, who was once famous all over the world and now forgotten.Riga St. Peter's Church records made it possible to unearth the details of the branch of the Deubner’s family tree. While, the Deubner’s family archive materials that were accidentally discovered during the restoration, as well as the information published in periodicals and provided by museums allowed outlining particular aspects of Alexander Deubner’s creative work and life. Whereas, his family correspondence revealed some exciting facts about daily life of Rigans and dwellers of other European cities.

The Nobel family

Nobel laureates cluster together. 696 of the 727 winners of the Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics belong to one single academic family tree. 668 trace their ancestry to Emmanuel Stupanus, 228 to Lord Rayleigh (physics, 1904). Craig Mello (medicine, 2006) counts 51 Nobelists among his ancestors. Chemistry laureates have the most Nobel ancestors and descendants, economics laureates the fewest. Chemistry is the central discipline. Its Nobelists have trained and are trained by Nobelists in other fields. Nobelists in physics (medicine) have trained (by) others. Economics stands apart. Openness to other disciplines is the same in recent and earlier times. The familial concentration of Nobelists is lower now than it used to be.

Mapping the prostate cell family tree.

Mapping the prostate cell family tree.

Voorbij de nationale kerkenstamboom: naar een inclusieve genealogie van het christendom in Nederland

Since the sixteenth-century Reformation, Christianity in the Netherlands is characterized by pluriformity. Besides the Catholic Church of Rome and the Reformed ‘public church’, there were ecclesial bodies of ‘Protestant Dissenters’. The 1834 Secession provoked a lot of splits and (re)unions up to the present, whereas the breakthrough of religious freedom in 1848 enabled the establishment of many new groups (partly imported from abroad). In the past fifty years, several didactic and sometimes ecumenical or apologetical schemes of denominations were published, showing in particular the labyrinth of the Reformed world. At the same time, the Christian landscape underwent structural changes because of repatriation from former colonies, immigration from numerous countries, and regrouping of evangelical believers. Given the developments of secularization (and, as a result, declining knowledge of the national church map), internationalization (rising non-Dutchdenominations), and inclusivity (dealing with the colonial past), a new design of the Dutch ‘Christian family tree’ seems to be welcome. Therefore, this article offers a basis by discussing earlier examples, presenting a historically justified alternative, while welcoming feedback from the field and recommending a creative elaboration with digital tools.