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Archiver > DUTTON > 2000-08 > 0967243388


From: Carole Dutton Malisiak <>
Subject: Re: Oxford Ancestors:DNA tests
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 17:43:08 -0500
References: <b9.63f1753.26d80788@aol.com>


Nicole and all,

I have already contacted Dr. Sykes and am awaiting his
reply. I have also been in contact with Bryan Ford,
genetics expert, who has informed me that the Y-chromosome
testing is available now.

>>>If there were no concerns about cost, this work could
likely be
attempted by forensic identification specialists right away. >>>

He said that it would be a worthy project if the skeletons
have been identified as DUTTONS from some sort of marker at
the grave site.

Bryan L. Ford wrote:
<<But first an important question: Are some of the
bones in question identified as coming from graves marked
with "Dutton"
in some way? If you have this sort of identification then,
in my opinion
you should make some efforts, but without such
identification the
efforts would be too great to justify even attempting the
analysis. If
you have Dutton related identification then as a minimal
strategy I
would recommend that you try to acquire or have retained at least
portions of the largest bones available, femurs, pelvises or
humeri are
obvious choices, but even smaller bones can sometimes be
useful. >>

>>... since you are looking at a surname lineage, you
face the more daunting task of coming up with the less
abundant nuclear
DNA and in particular the Y-chromosome that tracks paternal
lineage. Y
chromosome markers have been studied in late Roman and early medieval
skeletons, but this was academic research and thus was sort of
exploratory. They were able to identify some Y-chromosome
markers in any
case. >>>

Bryan Ford gave more information on drying and storing the
bones which would give us time (years) to get the needed
testing completed.

It is my opinion that we are in a rather unique situation
and that we should do something about these bones and DNA
tests. After all, how many families have had archaeologists
dig up their "alleged" ancestors? There are other questions
that could be answered by DNA tests as well. Are these
skeletons all related? There are probably other questions
that would interest scholars that I have not thought of.
Maybe sometime in the future, descendants of Wm the C could
be identified. Keeping back some of these bones from
reburial is the least we should try to get accomplished.
The DNA anaylsis skills are always getting better and better.

Carole
----------------------

wrote:
>
> Dear List,
---------snip-----------------
> It might also be a good idea to contact Professor Brian Sykes who heads
> Oxford Ancestors re: feasability of testing the Dutton skeletons. New
> techniques have been developed which could make DNA extraction possible.
> Professor Sykes was involved in DNA testing on the "Cheddar Man". He was able
> to find a direct descendant of this ancient Englishman living in the same
> village.

---------------snip---------------
> Regards,
> Nicole May

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