How do DNA Tribes match results relate to historical events?
Many living populations retain genetic material that dates to their founding in ancient times as well as traces of more recent events. The genetic patterns identified by DNA Tribes relate primarily to geography: living ethnic groups are most often related to their neighbors, sharing common ties to world regions that can cross ethnic and cultural divisions. Some populations that have migrated from their homelands also retain genetic connections to their places of origin: for instance, Polish Tatars retain stronger Mongolian affiliations than are seen elsewhere in Europe. However, the relation of genetics to historical events presents many difficulties and often requires reference to non-genetic information. The similarities observed between some neighboring populations of differing language and culture suggest ancient regional patterns of contact that can predate and outlast ethnic groupings. For instance, Mediterranean affiliations observed in North Africa, the Levant and Western Europ
