Key facts
- DNA from 7,000-year-old individuals in Libya has revealed a previously unknown human lineage.
- This lineage appears to have remained genetically isolated for approximately 50,000 years.
- The findings suggest limited genetic exchange with other populations during the Green Sahara period.
- Researchers found small traces of ancestry linked indirectly to ancient Neanderthal admixture.
Thousands of years ago, the Sahara Desert was a vastly different landscape, characterized by grasslands, lakes, and abundant wildlife, supporting human communities in areas now considered uninhabitable. Recent genetic analysis of two 7,000-year-old individuals discovered in southwestern Libya has provided a unique glimpse into this ancient world. The DNA recovered from these naturally preserved remains has uncovered evidence of a previously unknown human lineage that appears to have maintained a significant degree of genetic isolation for around 50,000 years.
This discovery, stemming from genetic sequencing of remains found at the Takarkori rock shelter, challenges long-held assumptions about population dynamics during the 'Green Sahara' period. While this era was marked by a wetter climate conducive to human settlement, the new genetic evidence suggests that extensive population mixing did not necessarily occur. The individuals from Takarkori exhibit a genetic profile that indicates their ancestors split from other African populations approximately 50,000 years ago and subsequently remained distinct, carrying an ancestral signature far older than typically expected for that time period.