The Migration of Homo sapiens in Central Asia and Siberia

Before I look at the migration, the place definitions need to be clarified. Central Asia has several different definitions. The Soviet Union limited it to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Since then the Russian Federation has added Kazakhstan. This latter definition is the most common. UNESCO defines Central Asia on the basis of climate such that Central Asia includes the other definitions in a much vaster area. They add northeast Iran, Afghanistan, the northern portions of Pakistan and India from the latitude of the southern most point of Afghanistan, Tibet, Western China, Mongolia and central-east Russia south of the Taiga.[1] I shall use the UNESCO definition unless otherwise specified. Siberia is the northern part of Asia that is east of the Ural Mountains.[2]

Other members of the genus Homo reached Central Asia but there is no evidence that any reached Siberia.[3] Homo neanderthalensis fossils occur in the western portion of Central Asia.[3, 4] Both H. erectus and H. heidelbergensis reached the eastern shores of China and probably the eastern edges of Central Asia.[3]

There are a variety of opinions as to when the first modern humans reached Central Asia and Siberia.[5, 6] The different websites also use different markers for the Y chromosome.[5, 6] I have elected to use the routes and markers from the National Geographic Genographic website.[5] The map information and the information given under the genetic markers do not match for this website.[5] The text,though probably more accurate, is not clear enough to serve as the sole guide to the migration.

The earliest date from mitochondrial DNA is that the M* haplogroup reached the western side of Central Asia 60—55 000 years before present (B.P.).[5] during an ice age in which the average temperature was about 7oC cooler than at present.[6] Animals.

The period 55—50 000 years B.P. saw a great deal of migration according to the map. The haplogroups N*, N1 and R reached the western side of the Central Asia. Haplogroup R spread within Central Asia and left Central Asia in the region of India and in the Middle East. The mitochondrial haplogroups A, B, C, D and F arose in Central Asia. According to the map, mitochondrial haplogroups A, B, C and D went north from different points in Central Asia, traversed Siberia and reached all the way into the Americas – this is unlikely though all four groups could conceivably have reached Siberia in this period. According to the map, haplogroup A also spread within Central Asia and a second group from this haplogroup left the eastern side of Central Asia to go north to Siberia and on to the Americas. Haplogroups B and F spread in Central Asia and reached Eastern Asia. During the same period the Y chromosome haplogroup M174 entered the eastern side of Central Asia and spread through the middle of Central Asia after following the coastal route around to China.[5] The climate at this time was warm and wet with an average temperature about 4oC cooler than at present.[6] Animals

The map does not show any additional migrations 50—45 000 years B.P.

The mitochondrial haplogroups J and T spread in the southern part of Central Asia 45—40000 years B.P. The Y chromosome haplogroup M9 reached Central Asiaand spread in the region in the same period.

The period 40—35 000 years B.P. saw a great deal of migration of Y chromosome haplogroups according to the map. Y chromosome Haplogroup M201 reached the southern portion of Central Asia. The LLY22 arose in Central Asia and migrated to Europe via Siberia. Y chromosome Haplogroup M207 arose in Central Asia and migrated to the western part of Siberia. The Y chromosome Haplogroup M173 arose in Siberia and migrated into Europe. The Y chromosome Haplogroup M45 arose in Central Asia and migrated to Siberia. According to the map, the Y chromosome Haplogroup M242 arose in Siberia, traversed it and reached the Americas. The Y chromosome haplogroups M20, M4, M175 arose in Central Asia and migrated south and east to India, the islands beyond Australia and eastern Asia respectively.

The mitochondrial Haplogroup X arose in Central Asia 35—30 000 years ago and, according to the map migrated into Siberia towards Europe as well as traversing Siberia to reach North America. The mitochondrial Haplogroup Z arose in Central Asia and spread in Central Asiaandreachedsouth-eastern Asia and (via eastern Central Asia) Siberia. Mitochondrial Haplogroup Pre-HV arose in Central Asia and migrated to southern Asia. The Y chromosome Haplogroup M15 arose in eastern Central Asia and spread within Central Asia.

The map does not show any additional migrations 30—25 000 years B.P.

The Y chromosome Haplogroup M217 migrated along the coastal route and reached both Central Asia and Siberia from eastern Asia between 25—20 000 years B.P. Y Chromosome Haplogroup M124 arose on the western end of the border between Central Asia and Siberia and spread into Central Asia and down to southern AsiaaroundIndia.

According to the text, haplogroups A, B, C and D reached the Americas 20—15 000 years B.P.

The Y chromosome Haplogroup M17 reached Central Asia from northern Europe 15—10000 years B.P.

The map does not show any additional migrations 10—5 000 years B.P.

Today haplogroup… Haplogroup C is strong in Siberia today. Haplogroup B is strong in Southeast Asia and China today.

References

1. Wikipedia contributors. Central Asia [Internet]. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia; Updated 2007 May 27, 17:47 UTC [cited 2007 May 31]. Available from:

2. Anonymous. 1991. Philip’s International World Atlas. London, George Philip Limited, pp. 28—29. 0-540-05637-5 ISBN

3. MacEvoy, B. Hominid Fossil Sites and Patterns of Hominid Dispersal [Internet]. Handprint; Updated 2007 [cited 2007 Jun. 1]. Available from:

4. Wikipedia contributors. Neanderthal [Internet]. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia; Updated 2007 Jun. 4, 06:11 UTC [cited 2007 Jun. 4]. Available from:

5. Anonymous. The Genographic Project [Internet]. NationalGeographic.com; Updated 2005? [cited 2007 Jun. 1, 4, 13]. Available from:

6. Anonymous. Search for Ancestors [Internet]. The Online News Hour, PBS, MacNeil/Lehrer Productions; Updated 2007? [cited 2007 Jun. 1, 4]. Available from:

Climate

from 55 000 to 40 000 years agoan average temperature about 4oC cooler than at present