Ancient and recent Middle Eastern maternal genetic contribution to North Africa as viewed by mtDNA diversity in Tunisian Arab populations

ConclusionsThe Middle Eastern maternal genetic contribution to Tunisian populations, as to other North African populations, occurred mostly in deep prehistory. They were brought in different migration waves during the Upper Paleolithic, probably with the expansion of Iberomaurusian culture, and during Epipaleolithic and Early Neolithic periods, which are concomitant with the Capsian civilization. Middle Eastern lineages also came to Tunisia during the recent Islamic expansion of the 7th CE and the subsequent massive Bedouin migration during the 11th CE.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi?DOI=10.1002%2Fajhb.23100

Source: American Journal of Human Biology - November 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Sarra Elkamel, Sami Boussetta, Houssein Khodjet ‐El‐Khil, Amel Benammar Elgaaied, Lotfi Cherni Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research