Genetic trail uncovers ancient Sahara society's isolation secrets
The latest genetic research reveals that 7,000 years ago, the Sahara was home to a unique group of people. This community lived in isolation and was significantly different from those living in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Once covered by lakes and vegetation, the Sahara is now inhospitable and harsh. Thousands of years ago, a mysterious society of shepherds and their animals lived there. Genetic research conducted by scientists from the Max Planck Institute shows that the people inhabiting the Sahara 7,000 years ago lived in great isolation, with a limited gene pool.
The DNA analysis of two women buried in the Takarkori rock shelter in southwestern Libya revealed that they shared genes with hunter-gatherers from Morocco from 15,000 years ago. This suggests that a stable human population existed in North Africa before and during the Sahara's humid period.
The population was isolated for thousands of years
The isolation of these people lasted for thousands of years, resulting in the genetic line of those living in the Sahara being different from populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Genetic research indicated that the residents of Takarkori had less Neanderthal DNA compared to Moroccan hunter-gatherers, but more than populations from Southern Africa. This suggests there was a barrier that limited the flow of genes from Europe beyond the Sahara region.
Research on lake sediments, pollen samples, and archaeological finds confirm that people once lived on what is now a dry desert, engaging in hunting, pastoralism, and gathering. Archaeological discoveries indicate that the people of Takarkori were early shepherds, setting them apart from the older Moroccan hunter-gatherers. Researchers claim that pastoralism spread in the Sahara through cultural exchange rather than migration.
