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Bryan Sykes

Saxons, Vikings, and Celts: The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland Paperback – December 17, 2007

by Bryan Sykes (Author)

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From the best-selling author of The Seven Daughters of Eve, a perfect book for anyone interested in the genetic history of Britain, Ireland, and America.

One of the world's leading geneticists, Bryan Sykes has helped thousands find their ancestry in the British Isles. Saxons, Vikings, and Celts, which resulted from a systematic ten-year DNA survey of more than 10,000 volunteers, traces the true genetic makeup of the British Isles and its descendants, taking readers from the Pontnewydd cave in North Wales to the resting place of the Red Lady of Paviland and the tomb of King Arthur. This illuminating guide provides a much-needed introduction to the genetic history of the people of the British Isles and their descendants throughout the world.

Print length

336 pages
Language

English
Publisher

W. W. Norton & Company
Publication date

December 17, 2007
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
ISBN-10

0393330753
ISBN-13

978-0393330755
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The science is explained with an infectious zest. His book is so revealing that the new... as well as the old should read it."
― Boyd Tonkin, Independent [England]

"Make[s] a good case for genetics taking its place alongside archaeology and history as a tool for understanding the past."
― Ann Forester, Library Journal

About the Author

Bryan Sykes, professor of human genetics at Oxford University, pioneered the use of DNA in exploring the human past. He is the author of Saxons, Vikings, and Celts and the New York Times bestseller The Seven Daughters of Eve.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (December 17, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393330753
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393330755
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #55,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18 in Physical Anthropology (Books)
- #101 in General Anthropology
- #221 in Great Britain History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
528 ratings

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L. Brannel

Who are the Celts? Here's the Answer

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2017

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I bought this book to answer the question: Who are the Celts? And it does. I had seen a documentary supposing to be a history of the Celtic culture and proposing that the tribes arose from Gaul and migrated via the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Most of that is disproved by the genetic research--while the cultural practices and art did migrate, the genetic story is different and even more compelling. When I had my DNA analyzed, I was first English, then Irish, then Scandinavian, and then Iberian Peninsula. I had no trouble believing the first three (those Vikings!) but was puzzled about the Iberian Peninsula. This book explained all those strains and even the original mother of my mitochondrial DNA who lived many centuries ago in Italy! The author mixes early history of the British Isles, myth and legend, and science, Fascinating reading from the findings to the research methods. Just the book I was looking for! I will read all this author's books.

72 people found this helpful

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L. J.

Excellent read; highly recommended.

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2017

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As a genealogist with deep roots in the British Isles, this book was fascinating reading. Bryan writes very well; doesn't overwhelm the reader with technical information but covers the pertinent points very well. Until I read The Seven Daughters of Eve and this book, DNA was a mysterious subject. The information gleaned from his amazing work has helped me better understand the DNA test results for myself, my husband and other family members. Surprisingly, I learned so much about the many invasions and constant fighting within the Isles; more so that from most history texts I studied in school. Highly recommend if you are interested in human migration and DNA from the beginning of time.

41 people found this helpful

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Spifette

I did not want this enjoyable trip through history and genetics to end!

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2018

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History + genealogy = nerd-gasm! Or puzzle lover's delight. Orrrrr family lore. :)

And we get all of this by way of a talented storyteller in Bryan Sykes.

This is notchur grandma's dry just the facts ma'am kinda scientific examination: there be mystery, drama, discovery, humor and more up in this ancestral joint. There are many 'wow' moments, and theories that cause the thinky thoughts.

I know a decent amount of history about various areas in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. I've added even more during the last five years or so in working my family tree: some of my ancestors mentioned as a part of providing context for Sykes' genetic research are 27th great grandfather William the Conqueror, 29th great uncle Edward the Confessor, 1st cousin Cnut King of the Danes, 33rd great grandfather King Alfred the Great of Wessex, 31st great grandfather Hrolfe aka Rollo of Norway, 22nd great grandmother Marjorie Bruce, 23rd great grandfather Robert the Bruce, 43rd great grandfather Aidan King of Dal Riata, and more.

Through genetics, we get a better idea about different migrations, origins and patterns both. Or, even better, we're permitted to ponder some interesting possibilities. In example of the former: one of the Y-chromosomes widely found in Ireland also crops up among the Basques and Galicians of northern Spain. On a macro level, this could be another peg in the board of truth that ancient peoples traveled quite far along their shared Atlantic coastlines in exploration, trade, and most likely habitation. On a micro level, I have ancestors from northern Spain back in the middle centuries, the same time as some of the aforementioned forebears: like 2nd cousin Urraca of León, Queen of León, Castile, and Galicia, and 3rd cousin Alfonso X King of Castile, Léon, Galicia, among others.

As for the latter, here is one of the intriguing questions Sykes asks, almost a 'which came first, the chicken or the egg': "It was the coming of agriculture to Scotland, beginning about 6,000 years ago, that boosted the population so that, only a few centuries later, there was enough manpower to construct these vast monuments [large stone structures]. But did this evidently greatly increased population mean the immigration of large numbers of people, or did the original Mesolithic inhabitants adapt and proliferate?"

He goes on to say that there isn't a lot of archeological evidence to lead us in either direction with any certainty, but maybe DNA will shed some steadier light. A $64,000 question, indeed.

Sykes even takes us through the methodology used in collecting these thousands of bits n bobs of genetic samples in a lighthearted, open, and conversational way. We get local color and cultural flavor, with observations on human nature that are probably universal, now and 8,000-10,000 years ago when we bipeds first arrived in these here parts of the world.

He goes through the main mDNA haplogroups, the history of what used to pass for cultural historical research and the often patriarchal and racist conclusions of such, and the fact that these sub-microscopic proteins we all carry around have been handed down thanks to a handful of original ancestors shared by millions and millions of people. None of us is that different from the next person.

Regarding the 7 major mDNA origins of over 95% of Europeans: "I realized at once that these clan mothers, as I called them, were not some kind of theoretical ancestors, but real living, breathing women. No, not just women, they were mothers as well."

And through their daughters, and each generation of daughters after them, here we are.

As much as I love history, there were times when I wished for more exposition on the sciencey side of life. Sykes would get going on a description of one of he and his colleagues' sample collecting tours, or a set of results, and then head back to the lives of our long-dead clanspeople.

His bias that clearly favors England also comes through now and then, if only in hints. Given the rich, lengthy, and interesting history of all of the regions on which he spent his energy in studying, it would have been quite the feat to lessen the awesomeness of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.**

I did not want this to end! I put off reading the last 20 pages or so for several days. I want more! This is such an enjoyable read, and I wrote notes, reactions, and questions throughout. Please give me more of this:

On the numbers part of the genetic equation: "Like so many tabulations, the numbers disguise individual stories of heroism and betrayal, triumph and defeat, and force them into bleak summaries. This is no way to treat our ancestors and you will be glad that I shall not insult them, or you, in this way again."

Cheeky! And 100% truth: the numbers often don't tell the whole story.

** I have my own "biases" considering my love for and having spent time in Ireland and Scotland, and England, and my extensive ancestry from these three places, along with Wales. ;)

17 people found this helpful

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Pam Shelton-Anderson

Very interesting book

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2019

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Since most of my genealogy and DNA comes from the British Isles, I was very interested in this book and overall found it fascinating. There was a lot of work to develop this information and understanding how that work has evolved was quite interesting. I would have preferred a little more straightforward information on the genetics part and not the genetics-for-dummies version; I suspect people who would read the book would already be someone informed on the basics. I didn't really understand the clan names and had thought there were other standards for that, though he did make it easy to see the classifications and referenced them clearly. I was just getting ready to lament the lack of maps and charts and then found them at the end of the book. I did find them quite helpful though colored maps might have been even clearer. I would also not discount the value of mathematics as that is how we understand large amounts of data and the relationships and validity of the data. The author's passion and love of his work and his subject matter comes through very clearly and is very appealing. Well done.

11 people found this helpful

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Maria

More history than biology

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2016

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While I did enjoy this book the first half was a history of the British Isles as best is known. Interesting, but not what I was expecting. The second half discussed major population movements, then briefly, the results of the genetic findings in various regions. I found the outcomes very interesting, as was the contrast to the written history. However, as I'm not very familiar with the counties and borders of the Isles, it could,at times be very hard to follow.

I will also admit that I found Prof. Sykes first books, "Seven Daughters of Eve" and "Adam's Curse" to be more interesting and enlightening, although that's probably because of the generality required by their broad topics. I would recommend this book (and his other two), but remember that this isn't a science book. It just uses good science to solve a historical question.

24 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Menarue

A book not to be missed.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2018

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A fabulous book for anyone who is interested in his or her origins and of course of others. Bryan Sykes is a great communicator who is able to explain very technical points in a way that anyone with a good education can understand. He has a sense of humour which is sometimes missing in such books on such specialised subjects. I bought this book for myself, I was only half way through it when I ordered it for my son and he is fascinated by the information and we immediately bought every book by Bryan Sykes we could find.

One person found this helpful

Ms. C. B. Mclaglen

Saxons Vikings and Celts by Bryan Sykes

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 10, 2014

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An essential reading book for DNA fanatics. You have to get them all though to get a proper picture including books from Stephen Oppenheimer and Spencer Wells, all are riviting reading. I read 5 at the same time Deep Ancestry by Wells is an must so that people can follow all the Haplogroups of the various humans and how they link up so amazingly and branch out. No matter how they travel away from one another sometimes they come back together at a later date, and some disappear altogether to emerge in a country far away. Remember the world looked different from what it does today with alot more land which is now 300 foot under the sea. The cold from the Ice Ages which came and went many times is another important factor and probably caused the deaths of thousands through tsunamis on the ocean and inland in America and Africa, India especially, and the Middle East and Europe. Long before the Saxons Celts and Vikings came to this country of the British Isles they had come before and they walked from Europe
as they hunted in the North Sea area which was then land and also walked as far as to Ireland and then were driven back by the ice. This happened many times and caused many tragic deaths which show up in our geographical story. Cynthia Allen McLaglen

2 people found this helpful

Fat Boy Fat

British Genetics for Dummies?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2010

Verified Purchase

If you are looking for some strong scientific info on the genetic make-up of the British Isles then do not buy this book. The scientific content accounts for approx 20% of the book, the rest is school boy history and geology. You only have to look at the index to see that the vast majority of entries are historical references with even 'DNA' only getting a bit part.

I hadn't realised, until I read the other reviews, that this was an American version of a previously released book (Blood of the Isles) so I guess that explains why the author is so complimentatary to the Celts and so dismissive of the English. In fact is is somewhat bizarre that the English, who form over 80% of the UK's population take up less than a fifth of the book ( and if you add in RoI then the % is still above 70). Then again, perhaps it is because Sykes ran out of researchers before he could investigate England too thoroughly. Either way I felt a little gyped on the English sections, which given the variety of possible genetic strands in play one would have thought would be the a much larger part of the book. Who would have thought that the Welsh, Irish and and Scots were Celts after all?

I'd also like to re-iterate what a previous reviewer has said. The paper qulaity is poor and the illustrations do indeed look like photocopies of the original. The up-side of this is that the cover is smooth and the book bends nicely whilst reading without creasing. A definate advantage with a book you are more likely to sell on than keep.

This is a overall a disappointing book but if you like your science at the modern Horizon level (i.e 10 minutes of content constantly repeated in between reconstructions) rather than in detail then go for it. It is certainly well written and entertaining, just too dumbed down for my taste.

8 people found this helpful

Jeremy F.

A must for those interested in the history of Britain

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent book for those who are interested in our own genetic roots . It inspired me to get my dna tested and trace my family’s background which tearned out to be 94% Germanic 6% Scandinavian ! = in other words Anglo Saxon!
A must have for those interested in the different peoples of the British isles .

VJB

DNA shows our origins

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 24, 2019

Verified Purchase

The DNA detective work is superb enabling a clear line of decent down the female line through mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome for men but I was disappointed that no real conclusions were reached about where these peoples came from.

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