Ancestral Journeys: The Peopling of Europe from the First Venturers to the Vikings
By Jean Manco
Pleasant read, detailing the history of human settlement in Europe from the first hunter-gatherers to the arrival of the first farmers from the Middle East, then the arrival of the first Indo-European speakers from the Russian steppes and eventual creation and movements of recognizable cultures such as Celts, Slavs, etc, with chapters dedicated to the history of each group.
Official description:
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Who are the Europeans and where did they come from? In recent years scientific advances have released a mass of data, turning cherished ideas upside down. The idea of migration in prehistory, so long out of favour, is back on the agenda. Visions of continuity have been replaced with a more dynamic view of Europe’s past, with one wave of migration followed by another, from the first human arrivals in Europe to the Vikings.
Ancient DNA links Europe to its nearest neighbours. It is not a new idea that farming was brought from the Near East, but genetics now reveals an unexpectedly complex process in which farmers arrived not in one wave, but several. Even more unexpected is the evidence that the European gene pool was stirred vigorously many times after farming had reached most of Europe. Climate change played a part in this upheaval, but so did new inventions such as the plough and wheeled vehicles. Genetic and linguistic clues also enhance our understanding of the upheavals of the Migration Period, the wanderings of steppe nomads, and the adventures of the Vikings.
Supplementary info on the book’s website:
http://www.ancestraljourneys.orgBook can also be downloaded on Pirate Bay