The genetically closest modern population groups to the ancient Gandharans: Barikot Discoveries

[Talwar e Pakistan]

In 2017, DNA samples were extracted from Gandharan burial mounds found in Barikot, Swat dating back to the Iron Age. The results were recently released following analysis. Utilizing admixture modeling tools, the genetic distance between these samples and modern sample groups were measured.

Here are the 20 closest modern population groups to the ancient Gandharans based on the results:

The results showcase that the ancient Gandharans were genetically closest to the modern populations primarily inhabiting the historic region of Gandhara (North-west Pakistan), followed by the greater Indus region (primarily modern-day Pakistan, North-West India and East Afghanistan).

Modern Sample Groups:

The modern sample groups are from the Global25 genetic database and within the context of the region, some population groups are excluded. These excluded population groups would most likely be most related to the closest (geographically) population groups referenced in the list; for example: Punjabi communities such as the Arain, Sheikhs, Awans, Janjuas, etc... would be closest to Khatri and Punjabi_Jatt sample groups.


Lesser known sample groups referenced in the list:

Kamboj: A community primarily inhabiting the Punjab region with populations in Haryana and Afghanistan as well.
Khatri: A predominantly Hindu Punjabi community; most Khatris had migrated to India from West Punjab following partition.
Yusufzai, Tarkalani, Uthmankhel: Pashtun tribes inhabiting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan as well as East Afghanistan.
Kohistani, Kho_Singanali, Kalash: Dardic communities found in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan.
Ror: A community found in Haryana and East Punjab regions of North-West India. They may have been linked to the Ror dynasty of Sindh.
Burusho: A Dardic community from the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan.
Gujjar_Pakistan, Gujjar_India: A primarily nomadic community straddling Afghanistan, Pakistan and Western India.

 

[Kambojaric]

Lesser known sample groups referenced in the list:

Kamboj: A community primarily inhabiting the Punjab region with populations in Haryana and Afghanistan as well.

How dare you call us lesser known

In seriousness though this is not entirely shocking news but important nevertheless to highlight given that a certain neighbor to the east likes claiming our history. On another history forum I have even read as crazy outlandish theories such as certain Marathis (Chitpavans) being the real Gandharans and that Pashtuns pushed the Gandharans to India.

Genetic studies of course instead show that Punjabi and Pashtun clans are the descendents of the Gandharans which as said is not a shocking reveleation but nevertheless important to emphasize.

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Panoramic view of Barikot, known historically as Bazira, an ancient Gandharan settlement; the source of these DNA samples:

Ruins of Bazira Fort overlooking the settlement, it was famously besieged by Alexander in his conquests:

Shingardar Supta of Barikot:

Artifacts found in Barikot:

An unknown seated deity or kingly figure:

A scene from the life of Buddha:

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

@PAKISTANFOREVER @Musings @Verve @21st Century Vampire @masterchief_mirza @Dalit @Itachi @313ghazi @Clutch @crankthatskunk @Taimur Khurram @waz @The Accountant @AgNoStiC MuSliM @jaibi @Moonlight @khansaheeb @Areesh @PaklovesTurkiye @Pakistani Fighter @xyx007 @Psychic @Zarvan @PakFactor @PakAlp @THE DESERT FOX @The Eagle @shahbaz baig @Yaseen1 @H. Dawary @Agha Sher @Pandora @peagle @Meengla @lastofthepatriots @fitpOsitive @Morpheus @Ahmet Pasha @Desert Fox @War Thunder @Hakikat ve Hikmet

 

[Hussein2020]

Not weird at all with the peshewar folks being closest to the ancient ghandarans, since theyre ancestrial to modern day peshewaris(pashtuns included, since they mixed with the natives). Closest ones to many of the ghandaran samples would be khatris, gujjars and kambojas, followed by some of the dardics and nw indian brahmins:

Distance to:	Brahmin_Gujarat
0.02698092	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.02787085	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.03230171	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.03232711	PAK_Butkara_H
0.04526922	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.04562365	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.04963265	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.05128158	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.05295763	PAK_Barikot_H
0.05367418	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.05908918	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.06223190	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.07375291	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.07590916	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.10153013	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.11384311	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o
0.12325252	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o

Distance to:	Punjabi_Jatt
0.02821662	PAK_Barikot_H
0.03025654	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.03289309	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.03334057	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.03429451	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.03455726	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.03944159	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.04048282	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.04152550	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.04339080	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.05460025	PAK_Butkara_H
0.05489040	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.06005823	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.07158368	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.07881162	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.07892518	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.16107433	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Kamboj
0.02277945	PAK_Barikot_H
0.02656193	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.02889157	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.02992825	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.03008805	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.03228721	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.03282721	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.03373205	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.04404317	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.04756927	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.04884693	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.05197953	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.05919042	PAK_Butkara_H
0.07368349	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.07520132	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.08475858	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.17082540	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Khatri
0.01937042	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.01947679	PAK_Barikot_H
0.02011298	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.02186821	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.02230866	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.02474259	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.02876546	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.02894084	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.03473439	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.03497197	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.04382063	PAK_Butkara_H
0.04558836	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.06065374	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.06332130	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.07101168	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.08402225	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.15708908	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Gujar_Pakistan
0.01995278	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.02161481	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.02349347	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.02572376	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.02641794	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.02680203	PAK_Barikot_H
0.02771640	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.03069767	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.03175357	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.03513468	PAK_Butkara_H
0.04221882	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.04806531	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.05277080	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.06290518	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.07493371	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.09373529	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.15030077	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Gujar_India
0.01983834	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.02286108	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.02358134	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.02515979	PAK_Butkara_H
0.03702200	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.04007177	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.04025588	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.04146629	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.04186452	PAK_Barikot_H
0.04534922	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.04620565	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.05017125	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.06323968	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.06372571	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.09286706	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.11417072	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.12704734	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Kohistani
0.01702069	PAK_Barikot_H
0.01748740	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.01829897	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.01888777	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.02015076	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.02082161	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.02637452	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.02719956	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.03582064	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.03624138	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.04181149	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.04345694	PAK_Butkara_H
0.05737337	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.06218187	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.07029766	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.08521465	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.15688847	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

 

[fitpOsitive]

@PAKISTANFOREVER @Musings @Verve @21st Century Vampire @masterchief_mirza @Dalit @Itachi @313ghazi @Clutch @crankthatskunk @Taimur Khurram @waz @The Accountant @AgNoStiC MuSliM @jaibi @Moonlight @khansaheeb @Areesh @PaklovesTurkiye @Pakistani Fighter @xyx007 @Psychic @Zarvan @PakFactor @PakAlp @THE DESERT FOX @The Eagle @shahbaz baig @Yaseen1 @H. Dawary @Agha Sher @Pandora @peagle @Meengla @lastofthepatriots @fitpOsitive @Morpheus @Ahmet Pasha @Desert Fox @War Thunder @Hakikat ve Hikmet

 

[Pakistan Space Agency]

Panoramic view of Barikot, known historically as Bazira, an ancient Gandharan settlement; the source of these DNA samples:

View attachment 667954

Ruins of Bazira Fort overlooking the settlement, it was famously besieged by Alexander in his conquests:

View attachment 667955

Shingardar Supta of Barikot:

View attachment 667956

Artifacts found in Barikot:

An unknown seated deity or kingly figure:

View attachment 667959

A scene from the life of Buddha:

View attachment 667958

Wow.

 

[Hussein2020]

Distances of the dardics and other peshewaris:

Distance to:	Yusufzai
0.02607719	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.03257717	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.03305328	PAK_Barikot_H
0.03696626	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.03851325	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.03869754	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.03998011	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.04244004	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.04740296	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.05009883	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.05779393	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.06009716	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.06146778	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.07252755	PAK_Butkara_H
0.08820181	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.09961008	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.18644074	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Uthmankhel
0.03037452	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.03522216	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.03983183	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.04048559	PAK_Barikot_H
0.04435260	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.04612506	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.04808124	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.04917749	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.05453585	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.05507855	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.05602897	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.06628880	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.06966397	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.08115742	PAK_Butkara_H
0.09595440	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.10699666	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.19450089	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Tarkalani
0.02957496	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.03444814	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.03917872	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.04164131	PAK_Barikot_H
0.04263837	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.04616095	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.04778204	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.05073353	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.05133114	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.05340523	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.05683868	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.06660786	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.06971811	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.08072092	PAK_Butkara_H
0.09659642	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.10867069	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.19592468	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Burusho
0.04405736	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.04717463	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.04780325	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.04825303	PAK_Barikot_H
0.04947978	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.05106316	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.05297449	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.05404492	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.05445051	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.06159460	PAK_Butkara_H
0.06292997	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.06355884	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.06556227	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.07167132	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.08138528	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.10005841	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.15469045	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Kho_Singanali
0.03552823	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.04318252	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.04628427	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.04713241	PAK_Barikot_H
0.05077971	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.05107957	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.05208841	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.05319319	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.05689344	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.05764487	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.05851375	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.06759374	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.07186359	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.08436940	PAK_Butkara_H
0.09679548	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.11002144	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.19331553	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Distance to:	Kalash
0.03084237	PAK_Barikot_IA
0.04074533	PAK_Udegram_IA
0.04123590	PAK_Singoor_MA
0.04418956	PAK_Barikot_H
0.04692055	PAK_Butkara_IA
0.04771632	PAK_Loebanr_IA
0.05007696	PAK_Katelai_IA
0.05033710	PAK_Gogdara_IA
0.05249513	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.05639534	PAK_Arkotkila_IA
0.06180353	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H
0.07137142	PAK_Aligrama_H
0.07797171	PAK_Barikot_MA
0.08594330	PAK_Butkara_H
0.09796661	PAK_Aligrama_IA
0.10959489	PAK_Katelai_LBA
0.20001551	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

Keep in mind PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o is very distant to all of the samples, (when "_o" is added, it means the sample is an outlier) because its most IVC shifted and is a lot closer to this heavily south eurasian shifted indus farmer sample(its around 50% west eurasian only, similiar to south indians) than any of the pakistanis(all have indo-aryan and pre-steppe central asian farmer ancestry).

Distance to:	IRN_Shahr_I_Sokhta_BA2:I8728
0.04560056	PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o

0.045 isnt identical, but its a lot closer compared to rest of the pakistanis(north west indians/pakistanis seems to get it at distance of 0.13, which is VERY distant)

Target: PAK_Saidu_Sharif_H_o:I7722 Distance: 4.2117% / 0.04211680
95.2%	IRN_Shahr_I_Sokhta_BA2
4.2%	MNG_Hovsgol_BA
0.6%	RUS_Afanasievo

It barely gets any steppe/vedic/indo-aryan ancestry. Seems very south indian.



PAK_Loebanr_IA_o Is also kind of distant to the peshewaris(gujjars, khatris, kohistanis) since its heavily steppe shifted(similiar to pamiris) and is actually largely closer to them than most desis, excluded heavily steppe desis(haryanvi people....the more steppe ones). It appears to be a south pamiri alike sample:

Distance to:	PAK_Loebanr_IA_o
0.04766434	Tajik_Shugnan
0.04797998	Kandahar_Achekzai_scaled
0.05299780	Ror:Ror_29
0.05454208	Tajik_Rushan
0.06026345	Jatt_Pathak
0.07055004	Tajik_Yagnobi
0.07892518	Punjabi_Jatt

Equally as close to pamiris as to Loenbanr_IA_o shifted haryanvis and southern pashtuns.

Target: PAK_Loebanr_IA_o Distance: 3.4855% / 0.03485469
47.6%	Haryanna_Ror(most closest ror sample)
29.2%	Tajik_Shugnan
23.2%	Tajik_Rushan

The ghandarans were somewhat slightly diverse, but seems similiar to most north western indians and moreso punjabis of peshewar/kohistanis

 

[Fawadqasim1]

So what ?

 

[313ghazi]

wow - is there a source for this data?

 

[El Sidd]

So what ?

So they can now be eligible for administrative jobs in Karachi

 

[jaibi]

Very interesting to know history courses through our veins! Love to the ancestors

 

[jaibi]

r/cringe

So they can now be eligible for administrative jobs in Karachi

 

[El Sidd]

r/cringe

You have a lot of supremacist on the forum. No wonder that Mental Health thread only attracted disgruntled husbands.

 

[jamahir]

OP @Talwar e Pakistan, why is this information necessary ? Is it not important that people look forward to scientific and political development in the next 20 years instead of obsessing about which person came from what tribe ?