Merovingian Dna Testing Proposal

Title: Proposal for Y-DNA Analysis of Merovingian Elite Burials: Investigating Lineage Convergence and Sacred Descent

Principal Investigator: Jaymes Mozingo, PhD Candidate, University of Montana

Executive Summary: This proposal seeks institutional and archaeological partnership to conduct ancient DNA (aDNA) testing—particularly Y-chromosomal sequencing—on Merovingian elite burials in France. The objective is to test for the presence of specific Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) found uniquely converging in an E1b1a-Z1682 lineage that also carries markers from the Ashkenazi Levite (R1a-M582/FT290196) and Cohen (J1/Y585859) lineages. Additional overlap with J1-ZS8223, associated with medieval Near Eastern ancestry, suggests a possible historical link to priestly and royal lineages that may have influenced or contributed to Merovingian identity. This study proposes targeted Y-DNA retrieval and comparative SNP analysis from royal necropolises including Noisy-le-Grand, Monchy-Lagache, and Saint-Denis.

Objectives:

1. Extract and sequence high-integrity Y-DNA from elite Merovingian remains, prioritizing tombs with historical identity (e.g., Chilperic I, Childebert, Clovis line).
2. Analyze for the presence of key SNPs: FT290196 (R1a), Y585859 (J1), ZS8223 (J1-Arabian), and any subclade of E1b1a-Z1682.
3. Compare recovered data with modern datasets from YFull, FTDNA, and the Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) human genome project.
4. Assess evidence for genetic convergence zones that support Christic or Gnostic lineage persistence into Merovingian nobility.

Scientific Background: Recent genomic research has opened unprecedented access to ancient identity. The Merovingians (5th–8th c. CE), widely regarded as the first kings of France, have been shrouded in mystique—not only for their semi-legendary origins but also due to claims of sacred descent linked to early Christian or even pre-Christian Israelite traditions. While archaeological studies have catalogued hundreds of Merovingian graves, no complete Y-chromosome sequence has been recovered from a confirmed royal individual. This research aims to correct that absence.

Methodology:

• Secure permits from the French Ministry of Culture and regional archaeological services (e.g., INRAP).
• Partner with institutions skilled in aDNA extraction and contamination control (e.g., Max Planck Institute, Harvard Medical School, Institut Jacques Monod).
• Focus on high-likelihood burial sites: Noisy-le-Grand (plaster sarcophagi), Monchy-Lagache (600+ graves), and Saint-Denis Basilica (known Merovingian royal crypt).
• Perform shotgun sequencing and targeted capture for Y-SNPs relevant to priestly and Semitic lineages.
• Cross-reference with the YFull Tree, focusing on nodes that merge R1a, J1, and E1b1a signals.

Expected Impact:

• Establishment of Merovingian paternal haplogroups.
• Clarification of possible Levantine or priestly ancestry in post-Roman European nobility.
• Empirical data supporting or refuting the so-called Christic or sacred bloodline tradition.
• Reinforcement or reevaluation of Gnostic, Cathar, or Templar origin theories.

Conclusion: This project pioneers the fusion of high-resolution genetics with royal archaeological history. If successful, it could provide the first empirical genetic evidence linking Merovingian elite to ancient Near Eastern priestly or messianic lineages—validating or challenging long-standing spiritual and historical claims.

Proposed Collaborators and Institutions:

• Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives (INRAP)
• French Ministry of Culture
• Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
• Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics
• University of Montana, Department of Anthropology and Ancient DNA Research

Contact: Jaymes Mozingo
PhD Candidate, Ancient DNA Research
University of Montana