Ancient DNA is revolutionizing archaeology. Recent advances have made it possible to extract usable DNA from ever-older samples, leading to vast stores of new information about how humans populated the planet and many other questions archaeologists have been struggling with for decades. The author is a professor of genetics at Harvard University, who in this volume seeks to educate the general public about the latest advances in genetics and how they impact our understanding of human history. Reich believes that ancient DNA will have the same kind of impact on archaeology as Carbon 14 dating, which, when it was discovered in 1949, allowed archaeologist to get reliable dates on almost everything for the first time. He also predicts that every archaeology department will soon have an ancient DNA specialist.
This book begins with a primer on DNA and modern genetics. Reich takes an exceedingly complicated topic and calmly interprets it for the layperson, using his personal experiences as examples. Who We Are and How We Got Here is divided into three parts. Part I describes the fundamentals of genetics, and the connection between Neanderthals and modern humans is used to illustrate how we developed. Part II discusses the origins of Europeans, Indians, Native Americans, East Asians, and Africans, and how they came to live where they do today. Part III is a discussion of the ethical questions connected with DNA study including those of inequality and race among human populations.
Of particular interest is Reich’s discussion of the controversy surrounding DNA studies among Native Americans and the issues it raises regarding the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The study of ancient DNA is moving at breakneck speed, and much of the material the author uses today will soon be superseded by new discoveries. The current emphasis on Western Europe will soon give way to a more global set of information. For archaeologists and laypeople, this volume is an important introduction to a discipline that will change the face of archaeology for generations.
—Mark Michel