Uncovering the ultimate family tree

Many people are fascinated by their family tree and seeing where they come from. Most can only document back a few generations. Imagine having proof, DNA proof of your family tree going back 120 generations, 3000 years back to the Bronze Age! This man does!


Manfred Huchthausen and his Cave-relation
Well if the caveman brushed his hair a little and Manfred took his glasses off.. maybe they'd look alike.. seriously they don't look that UNalike :)
Uncovering the ultimate family tree
By Tristana Moore, BBC News, Goettingen
Mr Huchthausen reckons he has the longest proven family tree in the world
The Lichtenstein Cave is a short drive away from Manfred's village, deep in the Harz mountains.
This is the spot where Manfred's relatives, dating back 3,000 years, were buried. The cave remained hidden from view until 1980, and it was only later, in 1993, that archaeologists discovered 40 Bronze Age skeletons.

The 3,000-year-old skeletons were in such good condition that anthropologists at the University of Goettingen managed to extract a sample of DNA. That was then matched to two men living nearby: Uwe Lange, a surveyor, and Manfred Huchthausen, a teacher. The two men have now become local celebrities.

"It's odd, standing here in the same area where my ancestors were buried. I felt really strange when I had the bones, the skull of my great-great-great grandfather dating back 120 generations, in my hands," said Manfred.

"It is a unique discovery. While we were examining the prehistoric bones of the male individuals, we found genetic patterns which are unique," Dr Hummel said.
"We wanted to find out whether these genetic patterns were still present in the living population of this area, so we put an advert in the local paper and we asked people to take part in our project - 270 people came forward. We were very surprised that so many wanted to help us.

"The local residents had to give a sample of saliva. We extracted DNA from the saliva and looked for the genetic patterns on the Y chromosome. In the end, we found two men who have a very similar genetic pattern to the prehistoric one, and that genetic pattern is unique," she added.

And what about Manfred, does he think he looks like his Bronze Age ancestors?
"I definitely think the shape of the head is similar to the caveman, but after 3,000 years and 120 generations, I'm sure personalities have changed," Manfred said.

Manfred Huchthausen is planning to organise a Bronze Age feast and party in his village. Claiming to have the longest proven family tree in the world, he says he is now determined to find out more about his ancestors.
Read the whole article and see a video here