Israelite Samaritans- Background

Administrators

Surnames

Al-Amad, Al-Samri, as-Samariyyun, Cohen, Danfi, Ephraim, Hebrew, Israel, Israelite, Joshua, Levi, Levy, Manasseh, Marhiv, Menashe, Samarita, Samri, Shomronim, Tsedaka, Yehoshua

Background

More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan

Please contribute to the Project Fund.
The Samaritans are an authentic sample of Ancient Israelite DNA.
We need:
  • Y-111 STRs for all 4 kits
  • All the palindromic STRs, particularly DYF399S1
  • Full mtDNA sequences for the three individuals with Samaritan maternal grandmothers
  • A Walk On The Y, phase 1 and phase 2, to find any new SNPs that we can then test in many other people
  • Family Finder for the three individuals of 100% Samaritan ancestry
Last but not least:
  • Contributions toward Y full sequences that can be done by FTDNA even right now
There are dozens of projects about "Jewish", "Israelite", "Hebrew", "Sayyid", "Arab", and "Semitic" DNA, and if everyone in each of these project contributed even a modest amount, all the above testing goals could be easily met.

Documentary about the Israelite Samaritans:

Sources:

Beliefs, practices, and history (differences from Judaism):

Traditions and ceremonies:

Family:

History:

Genetic studies:

Books:

The Samaritans have ancient Israelite ancestry from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Levi. 

They also documented admixture with Second Temple Persian Era Judeans:

Nehemiah 11:
Josephus Antiquities chapter 11:

Members of the Northern Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh from Samaria also lived in Second Temple Jerusalem:
1 Chronicles 9:

The sources in Jewish Law about the prohibition of Jews from intermarrying with Samaritans (in Hebrew):
http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/toshba/hakutim-4.htm

About the Samaritan Priests (Cohanim):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan_High_Priest

According to Josephus (Antiquites, chap. 11), the Samaritan High Priesthood was founded by a son of the Jerusalem Zadokite High Priest named Manasseh, who married the daughter of the Governor of Samaria Sanballat. This Zadokite line existed until the death of the last Samaritan Zadokite High Priest Shelemiah ben Pinhas. The High Priesthood then went to the Samaritan Levites, who claim descent from Itamar son of Aaron.

About why the Samaritan Levites would be E1b1b1a3-V22:
A Biblical textual critical perspective on the origins of the Israelite Levites:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/528927
by L Waterman - 1941 - Cited by 5 - Related articles - All 2 versions
Moses, Phinehas, Pashur, and Hophni. To these, others have added. Assir and Merari. As a matter of fact, the Egyptian origin of only one ..

http://www.jstor.org/pss/529211
by TJ Meek - 1939 - Cited by 7 - Related articles
questionably Egyptian, viz., Moses, Assir, Pashhur, Hophni, Phine- has, and Merari. Waterman disposes of Moses on the ground that he was not a Levite,31 but ...


Since the time of Alexander the Great the Samaritans have been completely isolated genetically. Tens of thousands of Samaritans were killed by the Byzantines after the Samaritan Revolt of 529-531 CE. Only 146-144 families have been documented after that time. More Samaritans were forced to convert after the Islamic Conquest and the Crusades. Only 5 families remained Samaritan after 1618, and one of these died out in 1912-1967. 

The Samaritans are one of the most genetically isolated populations on earth.

General Fund

Current balance: $71.00

Type Amount Date Donor Note KitNum Donation Type
Debit $29.00 5/14/2012     168723 Unknown
Credit $50.00 5/20/2011 Marco Ricci For a further understanding of subclade J1c3d   Unknown
Credit $50.00 4/16/2011 Paul Givargidze For furthering our knowledge of Samaritan genetics.   Individual