Ancestral journeys: the peopling of Europe from the first venturers to the Vikings

Description

Ideas about European ancestors are being transformed through archaeology, linguistics and the new genetic revolution. 'Ancestral Journeys' skilfully weaves these multiple strands to produce a startling new history of Europe. It will be of compelling interest to those who want to trace their ancestry through DNA and understand what the results mean. The fast-paced narrative is illustrated with specially commissioned maps and diagrams, as well as photographs and drawings, showing the movements of people, the spread of languages and DNA distributions. Unprecedented in the scope of its research, this paradigm-shifting, highly readable book challenges our established ways of looking at Europe's past and its people. The discovery of ancient DNA provides evidence that the European gene pool was stirred many times. Clues are also enhancing our understanding of European mobility, including the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, the spread of the Slavs and the adventures of the Vikings.