title: A Romani mitochondrial haplotype in England 500 years before their recorded arrival in Britain.
abstract: The nomadic Romani (gypsy) people are known for their deep-rooted traditions, but most of their history is recorded from external sources. We find evidence for a Romani genetic lineage in England long before their recorded arrival there. The most likely explanations are that either the historical record is wrong, or that early liaisons between Norse and Romani people during their coincident presence in ninth to tenth century Byzantium led to the spread of the haplotype to England.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Durham , Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
authors.forename: Ana L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Töpf
authors.forename: A Rus
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hoelzel
mesh_terms: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history; D004739:England; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D006178:Romani People / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial