Video: DNA & the Origins of Peoples: The Armenians
A video lecture exploring recent genetic surveys of Armenian people, both ancient and modern, and what they can tell us about the origins of Armenians.
Armenia is a country at the border of Europe, the Middle East, and Western Asia. Because of this, it has long been a meeting point for cultures and the people who create them. But who are the Armenians, and where did their ancestors come from? The question has been explored and debated for centuries.
Once, Armenian and European scholars claimed that Armenian people were the product of Europeans moving east and mingling with the descendants of Biblical figures. Recent genetic evidence has provided a more nuanced understanding of the origins of the Armenians. Testing reveals a population with strong roots in the genes of Neolithic European farmers, as well as several waves of Bronze-Age invaders who moved through the region 4000 to 5000 years ago. But by around 1200 BCE, the genetic population of Armenia had mostly stabilized. Armenians, as a consequence, are relatively genetically distinct within the region and are now thought to be mostly indigenous to Armenia.
This video lecture, courtesy of the Library of Congress, features speakers Hovann Simonian and Peter Hrechdakian as they discuss their work tracing the genes of Armenian people both ancient and modern. It’s an interesting dive not only into the history of Armenia, but the process by which today’s technology can reveal the secrets of our long-forgotten past. Enjoy!
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