Gladiators

[OConnor]

If Family Tree DNA could get in on ancient Y-dna sampling from projects
like this one
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/jun/07/york-gladiator-graveyard

It would be an incredible marketing tool.  Would you want to match a Gladiator?

Or a 7th Century Horse Soldier. Maybe we can even test Slobo the village Idiot ;)

[rms2]

Awesome!

Too bad they won't get any y-dna from them. Judging from the photo accompanying the story, they aren't trying to be careful enough to prevent contamination, so apparently dna collection is not on the agenda.

But it's still an awesome find and an incredible story.

[OConnor]

Can they get Y-dna from Teeth?
A mable bag could probably go a long way!

I have a feeling that photo could be a media pose.
I would hope he's not actually working the bones with bare hands.

I emailed someone involved in Gladiator project asking if there is any hope for Y or mt dna results.

(Edit): An up-date news article:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127542467&ps=cprs

"They were big men for the time — 5-foot-7, 5-foot-8 — two inches bigger than average. They were heavy guys — about 170, 175 pounds, which was big for them — and very muscular,"

(Are we growing?)