MyHeritage DNA’s new tool, Ancient Origins, compares your DNA to ancient DNA samples. Keep reading to learn more about the new tool.
Learning about your ancient origins is just one of the fascinating things you can do with your DNA. MyHeritage DNA now offers this option with their new tool, Ancient Origins.
MyHeritage DNA Ancient Origins
Ancient Origins comes from a partnership between MyHeritage and Illustrative DNA, a startup company focused on ancient ethnicity analysis. Your DNA test results are compared to ancient DNA samples to trace your origins as far back as 10,000 years and discover ancient populations from which you descend.
MyHeritage explains that they generate Ancient Origin reports using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This approach measures genetic distance (how close or distant you are genetically from these ancient DNA reference samples) using multi-dimensional vectors. When you opt in to Ancient Origins, MyHeritage processes your raw DNA data to create a vector called DeepAncestry Coordinates, which is a 25-dimensional vector that’s derived by comparing your DNA data to a reference set of both modern and ancient populations. They then use the DeepAncestry Coordinates to anonymously generate your Ancient Origin reports.
Some of the ancient populations represented in Ancient Origins include the Yellow River civilization, Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, Insular Celts, Ancient Bantus, Central Amerindians and Ashkenazi Jews of the Middle Ages and more.
How can you view your MyHeritage DNA Ancient Origins?
Ancient Origins is to available to anyone who has taken a MyHeritage DNA test or transferred their DNA to MyHeritage, but you will need a MyHeritage Complete or Omni subscription to access the feature. Currently Ancient Origins is only available on a computer or a mobile web browser, but it should soon be available in the MyHeritage mobile app.
To view your Ancient Origins results, you’ll need to be logged into your MyHeritage account. In the top menu, hover over the DNA tab. In the dropdown menu that appears, click “Ancient Origins.” You’ll click “Get your Ancient Origins reports.” You’ll be prompted to read the terms and conditions and consent to the processing of your DNA data for the Ancient Origins reports.
Next, you’ll be asked to select an origin that best represents you. MyHeritage says that “your input helps the algorithm focus on the most relevant reference samples and ancient populations.” But if you’re not sure what to choose, select “Global.”
Then after approximately 24 hours, you’ll receive an email that your Ancient Origins reports are ready. You’ll need to return to the Ancient Origins tab in MyHeritage to view them.
Your Ancient Origin results will include a series of detailed reports, which we’ll look at more closely below.
Ancient Origins breakdown
The Ancient Origins breakdown shows the percentages of the ancient populations from which you descend. To the left of the report you’ll see an interactive timeline that shows you how your origins evolved over the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman Empire, and the Middle Ages. On the right side of the report you’ll see a map that shows where those ancient populations lived.
These results are based on the origin you selected when you opted in to Ancient Origins. You can change the selection to another region that may better represent your origins by clicking “Tailor the model.”
You’ll also see Genetic Fit, which appears at the top of the percentage breakdown. The score generated shows how closely your DNA matches an ancient population listed. The score ranges from very close to distant, and a lower score means a closer match to a reference population.
View of the Ancient Origins breakdown report. The interactive timeline is outlined in red and the Genetic Fit feature is outlined in green.
You can also click on the reference populations to learn more about them. More details include the reference samples, links to scientific articles about the archaeological findings, and information about the population and any sub-populations.
Each population also has an AI avatar that tells the story of their civilization in a short video.
Hunter-gatherer and farmer breakdown
As the name of this report suggests, it show a percentage of your DNA that can be traced back to hunter-gatherer and farmer populations.
To the right of the percentage breakdown, you’ll see more information about each reference population.
Genetic similarities breakdown
This report lets you see how closely your DNA compares to ancient populations. This is a more detailed report which offers three different views: single origin, dual origin, and triple origin. This report is different from the ancient origins breakdown report in that it compares your DNA to all of the reference populations in MyHeritage DNA’s Ancient Origins database, rather than just showing a report tailored to the origin you selected.
The genetic similarities breakdown report shows you the top 50 ancient populations or combinations that are the most genetically similar to you. Similar to the other reports, you can click on a population to learn more about it. You’ll also be able to see the genetic distance between that particular population and other ancient populations.
Genetic similarities report
The dual origin reports shows the combination of two ancient populations that are most similar to you genetically. This report also includes the interactive timeline and genetic fit score.
Dual origins report. The Genetic Fit feature is outlined in red in the top right corner.
Triple origin reports are similar to dual origin reports, but show models with three ancient populations.
Genetic distance maps
The genetic distance maps offer a visualization of your genetic distance to various ancient populations. This report also shows the genetic distance between the ancient populations, so you can understand how genetically close or distant each population is to one another.
The maps offer two views, one with dots and another with clusters, which you can toggle between. The photo below shows the dot view.
Genetic distance map. The dropdown menu outlined in red allows you to narrow the view by region. The toggle switch outlined in green allows you to view the populations by clusers. You are shown as a black dot in the map.
Sample database and ongoing updates
Ancient Origins also includes an encyclopedia of the ancient DNA samples and populations that are used, plus others that aren’t yet represented in this tool. You can filter by sample type or location. Information for each population includes when they lived, the number of samples collected, YDNA and mtDNA haplogroups, and where the samples were found.
MyHeritage notes that just like your DNA test results can change, your Ancient Origins results will likely change as they add more ancient DNA samples to the database.
What else should you know about MyHeritage DNA’s Ancient Origins?
You should also know that you can opt out of Ancient Origins and delete your reports at any time. To do so, go to the DNA tab and select “Manage DNA kits.” Click the three dots next to the DNA kit and select “Delete Ancient Origins report.”
Ancient Origins won’t help you with your more recent family history, but this new product is an interesting new addition to MyHeritage, particularly for history buffs and those interested in ancient civilizations. If you want to use your DNA to learn more about your modern ethnic origins, you’ll need to use your Ethnicity Estimate results at MyHeritage. To get started, download our free guide to understanding your ethnicity results.
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