Ancient Sahara's isolated society revealed by DNA analysis
The latest genetic studies reveal that 7,000 years ago, the Sahara was home to a unique group of people. This community lived in isolation and differed significantly from those inhabiting Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Sahara, once covered with lakes and vegetation, is now an inhospitable and harsh environment. Thousands of years ago, a mysterious society of herders and their animals resided in this region. Genetic studies conducted by scientists from the Max Planck Institute indicate that the people living in the Sahara 7,000 years ago were significantly isolated, resulting in a limited gene pool.
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 wet period.
The population was isolated for thousands of years
The isolation of the local peoples lasted for thousands of years, causing the genetic lineage of those living in the Sahara to differ from that of those in Sub-Saharan Africa. Genetic studies have shown that the inhabitants of Takarkori had less Neanderthal DNA compared to Moroccan hunter-gatherers but more than populations from southern Africa. This implies there was a barrier limiting the flow of genes from Europe to beyond the Sahara region.
Research on lake sediments, pollen samples, and archaeological finds confirms that people once lived in the now dry desert, engaging in hunting, herding, and gathering. Archaeological discoveries indicate that the people of Takarkori were early herders, distinguishing them from the older Moroccan hunter-gatherers. Researchers suggest that herding spread in the Sahara through cultural exchange rather than migration.
