Arrow Downward Arrow Downward Close Close Done Done Cart Cart clock clock
iGENEA
Personal guidance

We are always happy to help you! Contact us via e-mail or Whatsapp.

If you would like us to call you back, please provide your phone number and how you can be reached. We will be happy to call you for a personal consultation.

info@igenea.com WhatsApp

Ancient tribe Sámi people - Ancestry and origin

Order DNA origin analysis

Where is the origin of the Sámi people?

The Saami are probably the oldest inhabitants of Scandinavia and have no Germanic roots. They live in the north from Norway to Sweden, but also in northern Finland and northwestern Russia. The Saami were once nomadic herdsmen, occasionally hunters, whose survival was very dependent on their reindeer herds. Their religion was shamanistic: they imagined supernatural powers in the rocks and mountains. The Scandinavians discriminated against them and called them "Lapps," a term of contempt.
Modern humans already lived as hunters, gatherers, and fishermen in large portions of Scandinavia during the New Stone Age. Evidence for this can be found in the 10,000 year-old campfire sites and the 6,000 year-old arrowheads found in Alta in northern Norway. The settled area stretched from the north to far south in Scandinavia and to the White Sea in Russia.
Archeologists have found asbestos ceramics from the period between 1500 B.C. and 300 A.D., and this craft has been interpreted as being characteristic for Saami culture. They have also found pit traps. Systems of pit traps were used to catch elk and reindeer. The Greek historian Prokopios in 555 A.D. mentioned a people, whom he called the Skrithfinoi who had this practice. It is clear that they were the Saami.

What is the history of the Sámi people?

In the Middle Ages, the Vikings appear on the scene. At this time, the Saami inhabited three quarters of Scandinavia. Saami tales lead us to the inference, that there must have been a long-enduring conflict between the Vikings and the Saami. Later, the Saami traded with the Vikings. They exchanged animal skins, pelts and salt, precious metals for use in jewelry, and metal blades. Later still, the Saami began to trade with travelers from the European continent, which brought about cultural progress in Saami society. The stone-aged people developed into a society with their own system of currency, the "tjoervie."
The subjugation of the Saami by the larger, neighboring nations began already during the Middle Ages, as well. In the fourteenth century, there arose conflicts between the Norwegians and the inhabitants of Novgorod concerning the taxation of the Saami. In 1326, the authority to tax them was set by treaty. Nevertheless, the Saami often had to pay both taxes. Likewise, the Bikarle, fur traders from Bottenvik, the northernmost outpost on the Bay of Bottnia, demanded taxes from the Saami. The Birkale were in turn liable for taxes to Sweden. When Novgorod was annexed by Russia in 1478, the Saami taxes were then paid to the great princes of Moscow.
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, there were three major groups of Saami:
- The Saami farmers in the southern regions of Norway, who primarily lived on agriculture,
- The Saami of the lakes, who lived north and east of the Saami farmers, were settled and lived from fishing and hunting, and
- The nomadic Saami who lived in the mountains and in Finnmarksvidda. They were a typical herding people. The large-scale reindeer herding came later, likely during the 40's of the sixteenth century.
For the Saami, there was no period of Enlightenment and progress at the end of the Middle Ages, as there was for people in many parts of Europe, but the systematic conquest of Saami territories by neighboring nations.
Though the Saami often have the same customs as other Arctic dwellers, they are genetically different from them. Some researchers speculate, that they originally came from the Alps, while others are of the opinion that they came from Siberia. In any case, they came to northern Europe thousands of years ago, following the reindeer herds after the retreat of the polar ice. These people speak a language related to Finno-Ugric, but the Finns cannot understand them. The Saami language consists more precisely of three major dialects, which likely arose due to the isolation of different groups in the remote and difficult to access regions of northern Scandinavia.

Genetic indigenous peoples by iGENEA

Jews Vikings Celts Germanic Tribes Basques show all ancient tribes

More Than A Name: How My iGENEA DNA Test Reconnected Me With My Ancestors And Reinforced My Family Identity

Until recently, my understanding of our family history was based solely on hearsay and documented facts. The iGENEA DNA test has expanded this knowledge, drawing an elaborate map of my roots and transforming my perception of our surname, Fuentes, and my family identity.
» Field report from Y. Fuentes

Unearthing Ancient History: How My iGENEA DNA Test Shaped My Self-Understanding Through The Unexpected Celtic Connection

Following my iGENEA DNA test, I discovered an unexpected linkage to ancient Celtic lineage through my Ulmer forebears. This newfound connection has transformed my self-perception, deepened my association with various cultures, and engendered a stronger sense of identity.
» Field report from E. Ulmer

This is how the DNA origin analysis works

A Mucus Sample suffices to get a sample of your DNA. Taking the sample is simple and painless and can be done at home. Send the samples with the envelop included in the sampling kit.

Order test kit
Get test kit
Take samples

at home, simple and painless

Send in samples

with the enclosed envelope

Result

online after approx. 5 weeks

DNA Test Discount Today
-10%