OUR PREHISTORIC ORIGINS - MIGRATORY ROUTES
General Considerations
The discussion that follows presupposes the reader’s familiarity with the introductory remarks of “Participation in the Genographic Project” that is found in the “Data Gathering” part of this work.
The Genographic Project represents an example of the application of the highest level of intellectual functioning exhibited by homo sapiens. It is comparable to the taking off of a heavier-than-air object into the air or space or a computer produced by human intellect that surpasses many times the calculating ability of its designer. The Genographic Project likewise is counterintuitive as it proposes to establish the migratory pattern of our ancestors during the past 60 - 90,000 years and do this by looking at the genes found in our about to be discarded, peeling off cells of our inner cheek. Projects like these look miraculous because by the application of abstract thinking, strict reasoning, and ongoing validation they achieve what appears to be unimaginable.
When I learned about the
Genographic Project it ignited my imagination. I was eager to take part. In
view of my strongly felt identification with Hungary and with its inhabitants
and our family’s history showing evidence for my ancestors’ participation in
the building and defense of that country ever since written records are
available, I fully expected confirmation of my ancestors’ arrival to the
territory of historic Hungary from the Asian Steppes some 1000 to 1500 years
ago. That is I expected to be confirmed as the descendent of one of those
Magyar settlers of the
The project included the study
of the mutation pattern of 12 genes dispersed over both the short and long arms
of the Y chromosome. These genes, like other genes, undergo changes called
mutations, but unlike ordinary genes they do not code for specific features and
they do not exchange genetic material with other chromosomes. These segments
are known by different designations, such as non-coding and non-recombining
segments, “satellite DNA”, “tandem repeats” and more specifically as “short
tandem repeats”. In these non-coding DNA segments mutations, specified in
professional language as alterations in the number of short tandem repeats (STRs),
occur on the average of one mutation per STR per 500 “transmission events”,
that is per 500 generations. It needs to be pointed out that this is an average
of which wide deviations are possible. These DNA regions are not subject to
perturbations other than these random mutations and once these mutations occur
they are fixed and passed on unchanged from a male to every one of his male offspring,
for thousands of generations. Such imperturbability and conservation of
acquired genetic changes make these specific segments of the DNA molecule
valuable for tracing the wanderings of the male ancestors of a male individual
ever since the time they left
It needs to be pointed out
that corresponding studies can be carried out in females using their
mitochondrial DNA. Such studies supply information on the migratory pattern of
one’s female ancestors. Such studies are not discussed here further, as they
were not part of our project. A book written for general audiences by Dr.
Spencer Wells, who is the chief scientist with the “Genographic Project”, can
be read with benefit by those who are interested to learn more about the
thinking behind such undertaking. The book’s title is “The Journey of Man -
A Genetic Odyssey”, published by Random House,
Discussion of Results
As stated above, the testing involved 12 genes on my Y chromosome, identified as
393, 19, 391, 439, 389-1, 389-2, 388, 390, 426, 385a, 385b, and 392.
The report obtained characterized the mutations at each of the 12 sites tested (please refer to the following certificate that was provided by the testing agency).
From these data it was determined that my most ancestral mutation establishes me as a member of the haplogroup, i.e. a group of people who have the same mutation, called by convention as M168. These were the people who left East Africa some 60 -90,000 years ago.
The next marker found is
called M89. This market indicated that some 45,000 years ago my ancestors
were in the than fertile
The next stage of my ancestors’
wandering is highlighted by the M9 marker. This mutation arose among
the people who were moving from the area of what is today
The marker M45 is found in the lineage that took a northward march when
encountering the massive Himalaya - Hindu Kush -
The presence of the mutation M173 in my cells indicates that the group to which my ancestor
belonged decided to migrate westward, that is toward
The final mutation found on my Y
chromosome indicates that my male ancestors belonged to the haplogroup M343, that is they were those people who created the first known
human culture on Earth in what is today southern
In scientific shorthand anthropo-genetic classification places me into the Haplogroup R1B (M343).
Implications
Regarding the subsequent history of the
people with the M343 mutation, we know that they spread out over
You will recall my expectations
spelled out at the beginning of this writing. namely that I assumed that at the
conclusion of my genes’ study I will be informed that my ancestors arrived in
We know that close to the year 1000
the Hungarian leaders were told in no uncertain terms that the precondition for
their acceptance by the western rulers and by the pope was that the pagan
Hungarians accept Western Christianity, as it was down earlier by the rest of
Europe. It was a tall order as it is never easy to change a belief system on
command. Yet the Hungarians had no choice as they had no place to go where they
could continue to practice their ancient religion and be safe too. Geza, the
leader of the Hungarians, in 970 agreed to allow western missionaries to preach
in
For the next three hundred years all
Hungarian kings came from the House of Arpad, as did Stephan too. Gyula Kristo,
the recently deceased prominent historian and leading authority on early
After this historical detour we can
return to the discussion of our clan, the Mog[h]s. The following section of
this writing deals with the life of Palatine Mog, who is the presumed founder
of our clan. It is apt to mention here, however, that among historians there
were two propositions regarding Mog's origins. Gyorgy Pray proposed in 1761
(Dissertationes historico-criticae in annals veteres Hunorum, Avarum et
Hungarorum) that he was the son of a Bissenes leader (other names by which the
Bissenes were known include Pasiani, Pechenegs, Besenyok, and Bicenok). The
Bissenes were nomadic people, master horseman and fierce fighters and, not
unlike the Huns, Avars and Hungarian before them, came from
It is to be noted that this Mog’s
lifespan, geographic location, social standing and acting in unison with other
members of the Hont-Pazmany group in such highly important matter as
withdrawing support from King Imre and lining up behind his brother, Prince
Andras, when he emerged as a pretender to the throne, are in accord with such
assumption.
If the above reasoning is confirmed, than the Bart[h]alos family could be considered a sub branch of the Mogh clan, and the Mog[h] clan could be viewed as a branch of the Hunt-Pazmany clan, This way my Cromagnon gene marker (M343) would also find its explanation.