The Mycenaean of the Mycenaean civilisation in the early Bronze age shared 80% of their DNA with the Minoans who were based in Crete. I find it hard to believe that 80% of DNA of overlap comes from conquest only, so is it possible the Minoans had communities in mainland Greece as well?
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6You may want to explain further what "shared 80% of their DNA" means and on what definitions this measurement is build on. Given the often quoted "humans share 95% of their DNA with chimpanzees" (which would need further specification, too, to be useful), 80% would be remarkably low.Henning Kockerbeck– Henning Kockerbeck2025-09-21 09:29:57 +00:00Commented Sep 21 at 9:29
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2Documenting preliminary research will improve both the probability of an answer and the quality of the answer(s). At a minimum, all questions should explain why Wikipedia is insufficient.MCW– MCW ♦2025-09-21 10:10:24 +00:00Commented Sep 21 at 10:10
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2Where did you develop the idea that Mycenean's shared 80% of their DNA with Minoans? on what basis do you find it hard to believe? I'm not disputing either notion, but history without sources is like science without units.MCW– MCW ♦2025-09-21 10:11:23 +00:00Commented Sep 21 at 10:11
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1Anyone that wishes to wade through some of the science can look at an article at the NIH: Genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans.justCal– justCal2025-09-22 00:44:04 +00:00Commented Sep 22 at 0:44
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2 Answers
Not that we have found, no. All known Minoan colonies outside of Crete were on Aegean islands, such as Santorini, Kythira, and a few of the Dodecanese.
There have been some Minoan artifact finds in mainland Greece, but nothing much non-portable. So there clearly was cultural contact, and perhaps even some Minoans living abroad, but no actual Minoan settlements.
There was likewise lots of evidence of contact with other cultures in Minoan sites. The Minoans were a heavily trade-based maritime culture, even by Greek standards. So it just doesn't look like big chunks of mainland land were really all that attractive to them for setting up home.
As far as genetics goes, genes aren't really known for being big respecters of cultural boundaries. As a species, we kind of shed DNA wherever we go like sheepdogs at the season change. The heart wants what the heart wants (yeah, its totally "the heart"). Point being, there's nothing at all weird with neighbors sharing some genetic material with other neighbors. It'd be weirder if they didn't.
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I personally think it is 'the mind' , not 'the heart'.The heart symbol has been the symbol of love thats why it is assosciated with love but if by thinking it more carefully it's substances in the mind when we see the person with whom we are in love with.Root Groves– Root Groves2025-09-22 19:20:42 +00:00Commented Sep 22 at 19:20
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@RootGroves You actually have a system of over 100 million neurons arround your stomach called your ENS which connects to your brain via the Vagus Nerve. The ENS is such a complex nerve cluster that neurologists sometime call it "the second brain". This nerve cluster is highly involved in activating emotions; so, if your ENS does not say so, your brain does not become emotionally available. Because the Vagus Nerve also regulates the heart, activity can cross over creating notable chest sensations and heart arrhythmia when your ENS is particularly active.Nosajimiki– Nosajimiki2025-09-26 20:34:38 +00:00Commented Sep 26 at 20:34
Western Eurasian Genetics are Very Homogeneous
Two big population migrations happened in Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in Eurasia:
- around 7,000 BC, groups of early farmers spread out from Anatolia and the Levant to Europe, the Middle East, and Northern India
- around 3,000 BC, groups of early horse herders spread out from the Pontic Caspian Steppe to basically the same destinations
So every ancient European population is closely related to every other ancient European population because they were all strongly influenced by those two migrations.
Indeed, the Wikipedia article on Minoan civilization references a 2017 genetic study that compares Minoan and Mycenaean genetics, and finds both are dominated by early farmers (EEF and PPN) and the early herders (CHG, EHG, and Iron Gates HG).
There is basically no genetic trace of whoever lived in these parts of Greece prior to 7,000 BC by the time these civilizations rise.
Looking at the percentages from the wiki article, I would hypothesize that slightly different migrations brought the Indo-European horse herders to Crete and mainland Greece - and that the influx was larger in the mainland.
So there's no need to invent extra conquests or postulate new undiscovered archeological sites. The genetics are similar because the ancestors are similar.
