Origins

A Wandering Aramean  Was My Father

Here is an interesting historical curio.  The Guardian is reporting that gypsies arrived in Europe via the Balkans 1500 years ago, from Northern India.  The Roma or Travellers, as they are sometimes known, have maintained a separate identity for centuries (although doubtless assimilation and convergence occurred with many individuals and families over that time.)  In the common mind in Western Europe they have been associated with their separateness, on the one hand, and their being targeted by the Nazis as part of their Ultimate Solution.

This latest analysis has the gypsies arriving in Europe much earlier than previously thought.  It is being claimed that genetic research into their origins and history has scientifically established their provenance and lineage.