The Viking Gene

Film of the public lecture hosted by Stornoway Historical Society on September 12th 2022 at the Council Chambers, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Guest speaker was Professor Jim Wilson of Edinburgh University.

[@silverhearttribe]

A few months ago I did a My Heritage DNA test, as dad came from Stornoway. Definite Viking / Scandinavian heritage ... Fascinating. Will be watching this again.

[@mairianncullen8753]

It's really important research. I've volunteered and returned my questionnaire and DNA. The 'spit kit' bit is easy. The questionnaire is long - but interesting to complete. You don't need to do it all at once. It helps first to gather together basic info about your Hebridean grandparents - e.g. dates/place of birth etc. It is also ok to say you don't know.

[@user-wy2iv9xn9o]

I would like to know what you know about the birthmark that my doctor said it only exists in the first Viking trib and they called it the Vikings Ring and where it is originated thank you

[@Moon-Labs]

Notice they omitted the cities. They're the most diverse places of all. Turns out neolithic britons were black, well thats what the BBC told me

[@DorchesterMom]

They omitted cities precisely for that reason - he explained early in the video that he chose to study Orkney and Shetland because they are historically more isolated populations where specific disease markers (ie, long QT syndrome) deriving from ancient founder populations (such as the Vikings, the picts, and so forth) would be easier to see and identify. Once you know the markers you can easier find them when screening other populations (cities.) You have to identify the genes before you find them, and studying isolated populations makes finding them easier.

[@DorchesterMom]

Neolithic Britains = Early European Hunter Gatherers. They had darker skin, but more closely resembled Africans north of the Sahara than they did the darker Sub-Saharans. Africa is the most genetically diverse continent with the most ancient DNA. They also carried the genes for blue eyes. They must have been strikingly beautiful with that combination.

[@kennymacdonald5313]

Interesting that he believes L165 is Pictish and not Scandinavian.

[@mairianncullen8753]

It is. He was the researcher working on earlier analysis of Scottish population genetics so I'm thinking he knows what he's talking about. But I know science involves interpretation so ...