Ancient DNA Shows Stone Age Europeans Voyaged by Sea to Africa
Thousands of years before Odysseus embarked on his legendary journey in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, ancient hunter-gatherers may have navigated their way to Africa by island-hopping across the Mediterranean Sea. A groundbreaking genomic study of ancient populations from the eastern Maghreb region, specifically present-day Tunisia and northeastern Algeria, has revealed surprising findings about their ancestry.
The research, published in Nature on March 12, sheds light on the genetic makeup of Stone Age populations living in the region over 8,000 years ago. It turns out that these ancient individuals were partially descended from European hunter-gatherers, providing the first direct evidence of trans-Mediterranean sea voyaging during this era. While archaeological evidence has hinted at cultural exchange between European and North African hunter-gatherers, this study offers concrete genetic proof of such connections.
Historically, studies on the emergence of agriculture have primarily focused on the Middle East and its spread to Europe, neglecting the southern Mediterranean region. David Reich, a population geneticist at Harvard Medical School and co-leader of the study, emphasizes the significance of filling this gap in understanding ancient human migrations.
By sequencing DNA from the remains of nine individuals from eastern Maghreb archaeological sites, researchers uncovered a fascinating genetic history. These ancient individuals exhibited local hunter-gatherer ancestry, similar to that of their counterparts in what is now Morocco. However, unlike western Maghreb populations whose genetic makeup was largely replaced by European farmers entering through the Strait of Gibraltar, the local ancestry in Tunisia and Algeria persisted even after the arrival of farmers from Europe and the Middle East.
The presence of European hunter-gatherer ancestry in a man from a Tunisian site called Djebba was a major revelation. Approximately 6% of his DNA could be traced back to European hunter-gatherers, suggesting intermixing around 8,500 years ago. The exact origins of this European ancestry remain unclear, but possibilities include Sicily and other smaller islands between Europe and North Africa.
Archaeologist Giulio Lucarini, a study co-author, points to the discovery of obsidian from Pantelleria in Tunisian sites as potential evidence of ancient maritime connections. It is believed that hunter-gatherers from both regions could have navigated the Sicilian Strait in wooden canoes, hopping from island to island. While many of these stopovers are now submerged, making additional evidence challenging to find, the implications of such voyages are profound.
The revelation of European hunter-gatherer ancestry in North Africa challenges conventional views of the Mediterranean as a formidable barrier. Population geneticist Rosa Fregel of the University of La Laguna in Tenerife, Spain, underscores the importance of this discovery and anticipates further surprises in future studies. The interconnectedness of Stone Age populations on both sides of the Mediterranean suggests a complex and dynamic history waiting to be unraveled.
This article, originally published on March 12, 2025, in Nature, underscores the significance of ongoing research in illuminating the ancient migrations and interactions that shaped our world.
