In this episode we bring you the origins of the Sumerians with none other than the geneticist Razib Khan.

In this episode Mr. Khan explains passionately that if we could genetically type any ancient People, he would choose the Sumerians. Why? Because these are arguably the first historic nation. The first selfconscious ethnic group which operated by the rules which we define as the fundamentals of literate civilization. Strangely, they are an ethnolinguistic isolate.

He goes on to explain what the term ethnolinguistic isolate means and how it applies to these ancient peoples, who even though they interacted with their neighbors stood apart from their Semitic neighbors like the Akkadians until later they became absorbed entirely through military and cultural conquests but that their legacy stays with us today in various forms including how we tell time.

He goes on to explain what his original model was for the origins of the Sumerians and how it changed over time and why?

What does his current model tell us about the Sumerians and their origins and foundation within ancient Mesopotamia?

Why are we struggling to genetically type populations in modern Iraq and Iran? How has Covid 19 made studying ancient history and peoples harder?

And finally, Mr. Khan hits us with his predictions of what we will learn the next decade when it comes to ancient DNA studies.



Support Mr. Khan and his awesome work below!

Website: https://razib.substack.com/

Razib Khan: https://www.razib.com/bio/wordpress/

Twitter:   / razibkhan  

Original Article discussed: https://www.discovermagazine.com/the...

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ATTRIBUTION:
BRITISH MUSEUM Looted treasures and the 'Mesopotamia' collection (London)
   • BRITISH MUSEUM: 'MESOPOTAMIA' galleri...  

Louvre Museum Sumerian Civilization
   • Louvre Museum  Sumerian Civilization  

THE LOUVRE: Stunning ancient Mesopotamia exhibits in Paris Let's go!!
   • THE LOUVRE: Ancient MESOPOTAMIA exhib...  

The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia
   • The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia  

The Standard of Ur
   • The Standard of Ur  

The Standard of Ur 烏爾軍旗 貝殼青金石灑青公元前2500伊拉克 Shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone 2500 BC Iraq
   • The Standard of Ur 烏爾軍旗 貝殼青金石灑青公元前2...  

The Standard of Ur and the Ram in the Thicket
   • Video  

Map of the Akkadian empire by https://www.deviantart.com/zalezsky