Human Population Genetics and Genomics ISSN 2770-5005

Human Population Genetics and Genomics 2022;2(2):0003 | https://doi.org/10.47248/hpgg2202020003

Review Open Access

Prehistoric spread rates and genetic clines

Joaquim Fort

  • Complex System Laboratory, University of Girona, C/. Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain

Academic Editor(s): Guido Barbujani, Lounès Chikhi

Received: Aug 4, 2021 | Accepted: Nov 26, 2021 | Published: Apr 6, 2022

This article belongs to the Special Issue

Cite this article: Fort J. Prehistoric spread rates and genetic clines. Hum Popul Genet Genom 2022; 2(2):0003. https://doi.org/10.47248/hpgg2202020003

Abstract

The seminal book The Neolithic transition and the genetics of populations in Europe by Ammerman and Cavalli-Sforza (1984) contains the analysis of archaeological data that led to the result that the spread rate of the Neolithic in Europe was on average about 1 km/yr. It also contains the direct application of a mathematical model that provides an explanation for this value (1 km/yr), the so-called ‘wave-of-advance model’. The book also reviews work on the possibility that genetic clines were formed due to the spread of the Neolithic in Europe. This paper is a review of work on both topics since their first joint paper, which was published 50 years ago (Ammerman and Cavalli-Sforza 1971). We also discuss the importance of these and related contributions by Cavalli-Sforza, the present state of the art, and possible lines of future progress.

Based on “Ammerman AJ, Cavalli-Sforza LL. The Neolithic transition and the genetics of populations in Europe. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. 1984”.

Keywords

spread rates, genetic clines, demic diffusion, cultural diffusion, Neolithic transition

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