[HN Gopher] Marriage rules in Minoan Crete revealed by ancient D... ___________________________________________________________________ Marriage rules in Minoan Crete revealed by ancient DNA analysis Author : rntn Score : 29 points Date : 2023-01-16 17:48 UTC (5 hours ago) (HTM) web link (phys.org) (TXT) w3m dump (phys.org) | rntn wrote: | "Ancient DNA reveals admixture history and endogamy in the | prehistoric Aegean" | | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01952-3 | RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: | > However, another finding was completely unexpected: on Crete | and the other Greek islands, as well as on the mainland, it was | very common to marry one's first cousin 4,000 years ago. | | I guess this is revealing is modern, western biases. Throughout | much of history and through large parts of the world, it was very | common for cousins to marry. Even in the Bible, Jacob marries his | first cousins. | ipaddr wrote: | It was common to marry relations in America and Europe when the | church mattered more. It's more of a recent taboo and not | illegal in most places. | | I wonder if studies have been done to show better outcomes when | genes are similiar vs very different | scotty79 wrote: | The more difference, the better outcomes. | | I think that's why so many people have this unreasonable urge | to travel. If you didn't have that in the past very little | genetic diversity was available for your offspring. | mjh2539 wrote: | In Muslim countries a large plurality of marriages are to first | cousins: | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_in_the_Middle_... | notch656c wrote: | I find it entertaining how much marriage rules have changed over | the years, yet it seems to be a long-standing human practice that | is not terribly sensitive to asymmetric risks or downsides. It | seems no matter how unconscionable a contract it may look like on | the surface for the wife or the husband (depending on when and | where in history) it persists in widespread use. | [deleted] | soperj wrote: | How much does this(not marriage obviously, but producing | offspring with your cousin) happen in the animal kingdom I | wonder? | bryanrasmussen wrote: | Given a large enough but isolated population how often do you | end up with your cousin without knowing it. I've heard stories | here in Denmark. | guntherhermann wrote: | First cousin marriages are still quite common today in some | countries. Many of my school friends' parents were first cousins. ___________________________________________________________________ (page generated 2023-01-16 23:00 UTC)