A genetic oasis in the heart of the desert. A groundbreaking discovery from the Takarkori Cave in Libya has revealed that 7,000-year-old mummies belong to an isolated human lineage, with distant links to Neanderthal DNA. This remarkable find reshapes what we know about human evolution and ancient migration across the prehistoric Sahara.
When the Sahara Was Green
Today, the Sahara Desert is a vast, arid expanse. But between 14,500 and 5,000 years ago, it was a lush, fertile land known as the Green Sahara. During this period, lakes, savannas, and rich ecosystems supported communities of hunter-gatherers and early pastoralist societies.
It was in this context that the Takarkori rock shelter, in the Fezzan region of southwestern Libya, became a key archaeological site, offering insight into one of the most mysterious chapters of ancient human history.
The Genome Speaks: A “Ghost” Population
The DNA analysis of two female mummies uncovered in the cave revealed a previously unknown human lineage. This group split from other African populations more than 50,000 years ago and remained genetically isolated well into the Neolithic era.
What’s even more surprising: their genome includes traces of Neanderthal DNA, albeit in extremely low amounts — only about 0.15%, nearly ten times less than that found in modern-day Eurasians.
A true genetic time capsule: a population untouched by other migrations for thousands of years.
No European or Sub-Saharan Influence
Contrary to earlier theories, this group shows no genetic mixing with Sub-Saharan Africans or Europeans. Their closest genetic relatives appear to be the Taforalt foragers of Morocco, who lived around 15,000 years ago.
This challenges the view of the Sahara as a simple migration corridor, revealing it instead as a cradle of autonomous prehistoric cultures.
Culture Without Migration: The Pastoralism Puzzle
Another surprising finding: although these people adopted pastoralism (the domestication of animals), they did so without genetic contact with the populations that originally developed it. This suggests that cultural transmission can happen independently of population movement.
Why This Discovery Matters
- It reveals a lost human lineage that contributed to North African ancestry.
- It rewrites the narrative of human migration in the Sahara during the Holocene.
- It demonstrates that technological and cultural diffusion doesn’t always require genetic interbreeding.
Key Takeaways
- The Takarkori mummies represent a population that was genetically isolated for millennia.
- They carried only minimal Neanderthal DNA, unlike populations in Europe or Asia.
- Their DNA shows no contact with Sub-Saharan Africans or European lineages.
- The spread of Neolithic practices in the Sahara may have been cultural, not demographic.
Final Thoughts
The discovery from Takarkori Cave offers a rare glimpse into a long-lost chapter of human prehistory. It shows us that while the Green Sahara may have seemed like a crossroads of civilizations, it also hosted unique and enduring human populations — shaped by environment, isolation, and innovation.
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