Were your ancestors’ farmers or hunter-gatherers?
Learn the societal roles
your ancestors played 5,000+ years ago
your ancestors played 5,000+ years ago
The report is available for Genomelink users
According to your DNA, what mixture of hunter-gatherer vs. farmer do you have?
Our “Admixture” analysis indicates how much ancient DNA you have.
Are you more Farmers or Hunter-gatherers?
Are you more Farmers or Hunter-gatherers?
Hunter-gatherer
The Mesolithic hunter-gatherers of Europe expanded north from refuges in the south of the continent at the end of the last Ice Age. With origins in the Near East during the Pleistocene these cultures and societies expanded rapidly into the lands uncovered by retreating ice sheets, exploiting rich resources in the new forests and teaming Seashores. Though these people retreated in the face of the expansion of farming, they persisted in Northern Europe until about 4,000 years ago, maintaining continuity with folkways with roots that stretched back to the Ice Age.
Farmer
Agriculture in Europe has origins in the Near East, back to the first farmers who cultivated barley and wheat in the hillocks of the Fertile Crescent. This lifestyle was brought to Europe 8,000 years ago from Anatolia, as settlements expanded across the Aegean into Greece and the Balkans. These Anatolian farmers gave rise to a diverse array of cultures from Spain all the way up to Scandinavia. Genetically and culturally very distinct from the aboriginal hunter-gatherers of the continent, these peoples do not seem to have mixed with the indigenous populations for thousands of years.
Foundations of your ancestors’ lives
Tools and handicrafts
What tools they used define who they are. Both Hunter-gatherers and Farmers invented very unique tools and improved their quality of life. We’ll introduce how they develop these tools and handicrafts.
Appearance and diet
Hunter-gatherers and Farmers look pretty different because of their diet. The protein heavy diet made Hunter-gatherers taller and powerfully built. You'll see more interesting stories in the report.
Housing and lifestyle
We’ll describe details how their lifestyles had an influence on their society. Hunter-gatherers’ community was more “everyone equal” type society with smaller families, while Farmers’ community was more “one person on a throne above others” type society.
Unique stories from your ancestors
Backed by science
Razib Khan
Razib Khan is a geneticist and public intellectual who has worked in personal genomics in the private sector. Have written for publications that include The New York Times, MIT Technology Review, City Journal, National Review & The Guardian, on a broad range of topics.
