UGI Seminar: “How (ancient) DNA from medieval remains helped shed new light on Jewish history”

Wednesday, 1st May at 3pm

Medawar Watson Lecture Theatre

Title: “How (ancient) DNA from medieval remains helped shed new light on Jewish history”

Abstact: Selina Brace is an ancient DNA researcher at the NHM London. She will be discussing research that came to light when construction workers digging in advance of the Chapelfield shopping center development in Norwich, UK, uncovered a medieval well containing the remains of at least 17 people, most of whom were children. Research into this assemblage continued for over a decade, using archaeological evidence, historical records, and DNA analysis on the remains of six of these individuals and finally allowed us to uncover new genetic, medical, and historic information. The whole genome analyses reveal the individuals appear to be a group of Ashkenazi Jews who fell victim to antisemitic violence during the 12th century.