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Origins of Old Testament priests

Author

Listed:
  • Mark G. Thomas

    (The Centre for Genetic Anthropology, University College London)

  • Karl Skorecki

    (Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute
    Rambam Medical Centre)

  • Haim Ben-Amid

    (Rambam Medical Centre)

  • Tudor Parfitt

    (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London)

  • Neil Bradman

    (University of Oxford)

  • David B. Goldstein

    (University of Oxford)

Abstract

According to Jewish tradition, following the Exodus from Egypt, males of the tribe of Levi, of which Moses was a member, were assigned special religious responsibilities, and male descendants of Aaron, his brother, were selected to serve as Priests (Cohanim). To the extent that patrilineal inheritance has been followed since sometime around the Temple period (roughly 3,000-2,000 years before present), Y chromosomes of present-day Cohanim and Levites should not only be distinguishable from those of other Jews1, but — given the dispersion of the priesthood following the Temple's destruction — they should derive from a common ancestral type no more recently than the Temple period. Here we show that although Levite Y chromosomes are diverse, Cohen chromosomes are homogeneous. We trace the origin of Cohen chromosomes to about 3,000 years before present, early during the Temple period.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark G. Thomas & Karl Skorecki & Haim Ben-Amid & Tudor Parfitt & Neil Bradman & David B. Goldstein, 1998. "Origins of Old Testament priests," Nature, Nature, vol. 394(6689), pages 138-140, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:394:y:1998:i:6689:d:10.1038_28083
    DOI: 10.1038/28083
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerard Lucotte, 2016. "The Mitochondrial DNA Mitotype of Sainte Marie-Madeleine," International Journal of Sciences, Office ijSciences, vol. 5(12), pages 10-19, December.
    2. Yedael Y Waldman & Arjun Biddanda & Natalie R Davidson & Paul Billing-Ross & Maya Dubrovsky & Christopher L Campbell & Carole Oddoux & Eitan Friedman & Gil Atzmon & Eran Halperin & Harry Ostrer & Alon, 2016. "The Genetics of Bene Israel from India Reveals Both Substantial Jewish and Indian Ancestry," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-28, March.

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