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Thursday, June 08, 2006
THE SHOCK OF KHAN Just for fun:  It appears that DNA has identified a Florida accountant, Tom Robinson, as a descendant of Genghis Khan. The hot new field of bio-archaeology revealed at least a bit about his Mongolian origins. He knew his great-great-grandfather was a British emigre to America, but that was as far back as he could go. According to an AP story Robinson said he was concerned when the firm Oxford Ancestors called and said he had a surprising ancestor. "My first impression was, 'Oh no, who is it' - imagining it was Adolf Hitler or something like that," said Robinson, 48. "So I was actually pleasantly surprised." Close, but no Yak Butter for you Richard. Robinson, now a proud lineal descendant of the guy who. long before Adolph, was a poster warrior for mean thinks Khan got a bad rap and that the press has put a bad spin on his conquests. Condemned during Mongolia's 70 years of communist rule as a symbol of a backward past, Genghis Khan is venerated by Mongolians as the father of their nation Oxford University geneticist Bryan Sykes created Oxford Ancestors to offers DNA testing to people curious about their roots. For some though Skykes' work is the scientific option to past life regression. He uses tests to identify these paternal ancestral clans by mapping patterns of DNA within the Y chromosome, the genetic material handed down from fathers to sons that changes little over generations. Women have two X chromosomes, while men carry one X chromosome and one Y, so only men can take the paternal ancestry test. Research published in the American Journal of Human Genetics in 2003 suggested that 16 to 17 million men, most in Central Asia, shared a form of the Y chromosome that indicates a common ancestors and Skykes thinks the obvious choice is Khan. "This is circumstantial evidence but it is very good evidence," said Sykes. "I think it does mean that people who carry this chromosome are direct patrilineal descendants of Genghis Khan. "How this chromosome came to be so prominent was that when he conquered new territory Genghis Khan would kill the men and routinely inseminate all the women." Some guys have all the luck, but in this case ONE guy had it. Some scientists are less certain the chromosome points directly to the Mongol chief: "It's a little bit of a stretch as far as I'm concerned," said Peter Underhill, a Stanford University geneticist who thinks the distinctive Y chromosome would have been present in many members of Genghis Khan's closely interrelated tribe. "Genghis Khan had this marker, but Joe Smith in the Genghis Khan army also had this Y chromosome." There was a Joe Smith in Mongolia? By the way: This year is Mongolia's 800th anniversary of the warrior Temujin the man who took the title Genghis Khan or Universal Ruler. Adding further veracity to his claims Robinson says he can ride a horse: "I can, though I don't often do it. You don't get much chance to ride a horse in Florida." Well, that settles it then. China Asia Blogging China Blogs China Blog Blogging Lonnie Hodge Humor Chinese South China Hitler Mongolia Ghenghis Khan China Festivals Bioarchaeology Blogger News Network is advertiser-supported, and your visits to our advertisers help BNN to meet its expenses. Help keep us afloat! posted by Lonnie at 9:51 AM |
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