David Reich - How One Small Tribe Conquered the World 70,000 Years Ago
Dwarkesh Podcast
Caste System: A Genetic Snapshot in Time
The genetic landscape of India is shaped by a historical mixing of distinct populations, including Harappan, steppe groups, and local hunter-gatherers, forming two principal ancestral groups: North Indians and South Indians. This mixture led to a diverse gradient of populations, particularly in the Gangetic plain. However, once the caste system emerged, it established a static social structure that hindered further mixing, creating a stable genetic framework that has persisted for thousands of years. Consequently, this social rigidity has resulted in a unique genetic continuity, marked by a historical snapshot rather than ongoing evolution or integration, as evidenced in early texts like the Rig Veda.
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