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Are Ashkenazic Jews descended in any way from Khazars?
The Khazars were a Central Asian Turkic tribe whose leaders and some of the population converted to Judaism in the Middle Ages. After their kingdom fell, was there some migration of Khazars to Eastern Europe, where they would've merged into the surrounding Jewish communities there?
I know Ashkenazic Jews are mainly a mix of Levantine (the original Jews - Hebrews) and European ancestry (Central/Eastern European mainly), but was there a Khazar contribution to their ancestry as well?
@Michael: "Behavioral genetics?" I don't want racist answers, I'm just curious that's all.
@HuCipher: Yes, the DNA studies I've come across definitely verify the Hebrew ancestry in Ashkenazic Jews, however they appear to fall somewhere intermediate between present-day Levantines and Central/Eastern Europeans, which would cluster them with people like the southern Italians and Greeks, who are genetically intermediate between Levantine peoples and Central/Eastern Europeans. Many of these Jews have lighter hair and/or lighter eyes, as well as different facial features, much of which is probably due to their Central/Eastern European admixture. A few Ashkenazim I've seen also have slightly Asian features, which is also where I thought there might be some Khazar ancestry in there as well.
4 Answers
- ?Lv 68 years agoFavorite Answer
DNA test confirm Ashkenazi Jews are descendent from middle Eastern Jews. Saying that I do believe they have Khazarian or at least some Eastern European admixture. The fact most Jews look like the surrounding people they are near means intermixing has occurred in most instances they have settled in various areas.
- Kevin7Lv 78 years ago
Modern Genetic testing proves Ashkenazim are of predominant Middle Eastern ancestry.Khazar ancestry might be present in a minor degree
- Gray BoldLv 78 years ago
No. This theory… is supported by no evidence whatsoever. It has long since been abandoned by all serious scholars in the field, including those in Arab countries.
