Article in the journal “Human Genetics” on the genetic footprint of the Roma people in the Iberian Peninsula [editar]
The scientific journal ‘Human Genetics’ has just published an article on the genetic footprint of the Roma people in the Iberian Peninsula (‘The genetic footprint of the European Roma diaspora: evidence from the Balkans to the Iberian Peninsula’).
This article recognises that the Roma people ‘have a complex demographic history’, marked by their dispersal from a South Asian origin to Europe. ‘Between the 14th and 19th centuries, the Roma spread westward from the Balkans in various waves, with multiple admixture events. Furthermore, our findings refute previous hypotheses of a North African dispersal route into Iberia and genetic connections to Jewish populations.’
They point out that ‘our understanding of the Roma’s historical origins has been derived from a combination of linguistic studies, historical records, and more recent genetic research. Previous investigations trace their roots to South Asia, particularly the Punjab and Kashmir regions, as supported by both historical sources.’
The study was led by David Comas with Giacomo Francesco Ena as first author, both affiliated with the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu Fabra University and the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE CSIC-UPF) (See note on the Pompeu Fabra University website).