DNA Research Supports an Obscure Romani Origin Story

Most people are vaguely familiar with the widespread belief that the Roma or Romani (often called Gypsies or Travelers) are descended from an ancient people who lived in what is now northwest India or eastern Pakistan. But the lack of written documents among the Roma and extremely few external literary references to their movements in other societies’ literature have left a huge question mark hanging over their origins.

A newly published DNA study suggests the Romani left northwest India about 1500 years ago. Most traditions say the Romani departed about 1,000 years ago. Assuming there is truth to the traditional origin story, it is conceivable there were two waves of Roma/Romani emgigrations from the same region (this kind of multi-phase migration has been attested in numerous other cultures).

But the DNA study finally provides us with some solid evidence that can be compared to events that are known from a specific period both in history and in legend. Historically, the Gupta empire stretched across northern India about 1500 years ago but it was invaded and almost defeated by the Heththalites, the so-called “White Huns” (Huna) of western Asia who were mentioned by Byzantine, Persian, Chinese, and Gupta writers in numerous sources. The Hepthalites lived in what would now be western Afghanistan and eastern Iran/Persia; they invaded India from the northwest, Persia from the east, and China from the west.

The period of warfare between the Hepthalites and these various societies lasted from the late 400s to the mid-500s CE — a time-frame consistent with the decline of the western Roman empire and the vast German migrations from northern Europe to Italy, Gaul, the Balkans, Iberia, and northwestern Africa. The old world was in grave disruption at this time and many peoples were shifting locations and loyalties (even China was in turmoil as the Liu Song Dynasty came to a bitter, bloody end about this time).

The Gupta survived the assaults of the Hepthalites, although they briefly lost some territory to the enemy. But an interesting legend about Persian King Bahram V (reigned 421-38 CE) suggests that he may have concluded an alliance with a Gupta leader in which 10,000 musicians (called Luri) were sent to Persia. According to the legend Bahram gave seed and cattle to the Luri so they could settle down and become farmers; instead, they ate the food and asked Bahram for more. He reportedly sent them into exile, commanding them to wander the world forever.

The Romani language is believed to closely resemble the Punjabi language/dialect — at least in vocabulary — and the Punjab region is the approximate area from which researchers believe the ancestors of the Romani originated.

People have been trying to explain why the Roma People would have left their ancient homeland. The traditions alleging a departure of about 1,000 years ago seem to coincide with the period of invasions launched by Mahmud (Mohammed) of Ghazni. The Ghaznivid Empire includes portions of what are now eastern Iran, western Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and western India.

A common hypothesis is that the early Romani may have been taken as slaves by invaders; but this seems unlikely as slaves don’t normally immediately get up and migrate out of a conquering nation. It’s conceivable that the ancient Romani were cut off from their Gupta overloads and chose to flee westward to avoid enslavement. But it is also conceivable that they rose up against the Gupta on one or more occasions, siding with invaders like the Hepthalites or Mahmud, and being defeated were then forced to leave their homeland.

Although the idea that the Romani were enslaved by Mahmud of Ghazni seems to be placed 500 years too late, the collapse of his empire due to the disputes between his sons could have afforded enslaved peoples a chance to flee. There is also a recorded clash with several Turkmen warriors whom Mahmud settled in his empire. He could have brought other clans under his protection, including the ancestors of the Romani.

The Romani have been connected to the Jat(t) people of India, who migrated to the Punjab region from central India around 200-250 CE. The Jat(t) were a pastoral people who became peasants. Some DNA studies have disputed the connection while others support it. Linguistic studies provide conflicting conclusions given that Romani more clsoely resembles Indian language from the 11th century than from the 5th century.

The combination of legend, DNA studies, historical references, and linguistic evidence suggests that the Romani are probably descended from a special caste of northwestern Indians who performed a very small range of services; they may have been musicians and singers but probably also included warriors and smiths. In fact, an obscure warrior caste or sect would explain much. They would have needed their own smithing skills and probably had musical skills as are attested to other warrior cultures (music and poetry preserve traditional knowledge of great leaders and events).

If the ancient Romani chose the wrong side in a major war they may have become wanderers simply because no one could trust them. As happened with the Turkmen soldiers whom Mahmud accepted, the Romani might have raided neighboring villages and tribes and thus been driven out of Persia (or Ghazni). Moving ever gradually west they would have encountered the Byzantines, who not knowing what to do with them might have settled them in the Balkans (where the former Yugoslavia — now Serbia, Boznia, and other small countries are now situated).

Most sources trace Romani migrations across Europe from the Balkan region. They settled throughout what is now Romania and Hungary in the late Medieval period. By the 1300s they were treated mostly as serfs and slaves. Their persecution throughout Europe across the centuries does not include clashes between mercenaries and local armies. Rather, they are depicted as vagrants and outsiders who fall afoul of the local church or authorities and are driven away.

The transformation from warrior to serf to wanderer makes sense if their services as warriors were no longer sought (or if they simply chose to stop being warriors). European serfs and slaves commonly fled their masters throughout the medieval period. The Romani’s strong family ties helped them to preserve their culture across the generations and the miles.

But the ancient Romani do not have to have been warriors. They could have been skilled or semi-skilled workers who left a land in turmoil seeking a better life elsewhere, or a conquered people whose conquerors failed to hold on to their conquests. In either case the Romani would have had no economic or political advantage in any land where they settled. They would have spoken a foreign language, practiced a strange religion, and they would have little resembled the people among whom they settled.

History provides us with a small number of examples of people who migrate peacefully or as a result of being conquered or enslaved. Such populations rarely achieve significant economic status or political accomplishment. Only in the last 100 years have oppressed diasporic groups succeeded in changing their economic and political fortunes, most likely because democratic laws and principles have spread around the world, depriving the old ethnic castes of their ability to oppress foreigners.

The Romani, however, continue to struggle against prejudice and persecution and they have no hope for a homeland or a nation of their own. Despite advances in social integration over the past few decades the Romani may continue to live as outsiders among insiders for generations or centuries to come.