A recent study has unveiled remarkable findings about the genetic makeup of two women who lived in what is now Libya around 7,000 years ago. Their DNA, extracted from ancient remains found at the Takarkori rock shelter, provides a rare and crucial glimpse into the prehistory of North Africa during the African Humid Period. This research, published in Nature, presents the first complete Saharan genomes from this era and offers fresh insights into the genetic isolation of early Saharans.
The Takarkori rock shelter, located in southwestern Libya, became a key site for this groundbreaking genetic research. Between 2003 and 2007, archaeologists unearthed the remains of 15 individuals who were buried between 8,900 and 4,800 years ago. Among these, two women, who lived between 7,000 and 6,000 years ago, had naturally mummified remains, preserving their DNA for analysis. These women belonged to a group of herders who appeared in the region around 8,000 years ago, marking a significant shift from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one based on domesticated animals.
The discovery that these women’s genomes contained only minimal traces of Levantine ancestry was particularly surprising. This finding suggested that any genetic mixing with populations from the Levant occurred long before the rise of herding practices in the Sahara. This challenges previous theories that suggested herding came to the Sahara through migration from the Levant. Instead, the data supports the idea that herding was culturally adopted rather than introduced through large-scale migration.
The Takarkori women’s genetic profiles also revealed that they were genetically isolated from other ancient populations in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Despite the proximity of the Sahara to other regions, their DNA was distinct, suggesting that even when the Sahara was more hospitable and green, it acted as a significant barrier to migration and interaction. The women shared some genetic similarities with a group of Moroccan hunter-gatherers from 15,000 years ago, and more notably, they were more closely related to an individual from the Czech Republic who lived 45,000 years ago than to people from East Africa.
This genetic isolation was unexpected and suggests that the Sahara, even during wetter periods, remained a formidable obstacle to human movement. The research team, led by Nada Salem from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, struggled to find strong genetic links between the Takarkori women and other populations, leading to the conclusion that early Saharans might have lived in relative isolation for much of prehistory.
In addition to the genetic findings, the study highlights the importance of ancient DNA research in understanding the prehistory of North Africa, a region that has been largely underrepresented in palaeogenetic studies compared to Europe and Asia. The Takarkori women’s genomes offer valuable information about the genetic landscape of early Saharans and provide crucial insights into human migration patterns in Africa.
The research suggests that the development of herding in the Sahara was likely a cultural shift rather than a result of population movements. This conclusion is significant for understanding the broader processes of human adaptation to changing environments, especially in regions like the Sahara, where access to water and fertile land was critical to the survival of early human groups.
The study’s findings also reinforce the importance of discovering and sequencing more ancient DNA from the Sahara to gain a deeper understanding of the region’s prehistory. As researchers like Rosa Fregel from the University of La Laguna in Spain point out, ancient DNA in North Africa is scarce, and this research is a crucial step toward filling in the gaps of our knowledge about early human populations in the region.
Ultimately, the isolation of the Takarkori women and the unique genetic legacy they represent offers a new perspective on the prehistory of North Africa. The study underscores the complexity of human migration and adaptation in ancient times, particularly in regions that, despite being geographically close to other populations, remained remarkably isolated for much of human history.
