Ancient Europeans Travelled By Sea To North Africa
Long before Greek legendary tales, ancient Europeans travelled by sea to North Africa, a study published in Nature shows. Stone Age hunter-gatherers may have been crossing the Mediterranean Sea, island-hopping their way to North Africa. The groundbreaking genomic study of ancient populations from the eastern Maghreb—modern-day Tunisia and northeastern Algeria—reveals that these early inhabitants carried genetic traces of European hunter-gatherers. This discovery provides the first direct evidence of trans-Mediterranean sea voyages during the Stone Age, shedding light on a previously overlooked chapter of human history.
Genetic Clues to Early Migration
The study, led by Harvard Medical School geneticist David Reich and conducted in collaboration with researchers from Algeria, Tunisia, and Europe, analyzed DNA from the remains of nine individuals who lived between 6,000 and over 10,000 years ago. These ancient genomes revealed that the eastern Maghreb populations shared genetic similarities with hunter-gatherers from Morocco but also carried a surprising link to European ancestry.
One individual, a man from the Tunisian site of Djebba, stood out: approximately 6% of his DNA could be traced back to European hunter-gatherers. Researchers estimate that his ancestors mixed with Europeans around 8,500 years ago. A woman from the same site also showed weaker signs of this genetic connection, suggesting early interactions between populations on both sides of the Mediterranean.
Unlike in western North Africa, where European farmers largely replaced local hunter-gatherer ancestry, the eastern Maghreb maintained its indigenous genetic makeup even after the arrival of farming communities from Europe and the Middle East. This resilience may be linked to the region’s slower adoption of agriculture, as evidenced by archaeological findings that show continued reliance on hunting and foraging alongside the introduction of domesticated animals like sheep, goats, and cattle.
Evidence of Seafaring and Cultural Exchange
The discovery of European hunter-gatherer ancestry in North Africa raises intriguing questions about how these early humans crossed the Mediterranean. While the exact route remains uncertain, researchers speculate that Sicily and smaller islands between Europe and Africa may have served as stepping stones. Obsidian from Pantelleria, an island in the Strait of Sicily, has been found in Tunisian archaeological sites, hinting at early trade and travel.
Although no boat remains from this era have been discovered in North Africa, dugout canoes of a similar age found in Italy’s Bracciano Lake suggest that Stone Age populations possessed the skills necessary for seafaring. These early voyagers likely navigated by sight, using islands as waypoints. Many potential stopovers are now submerged, making it challenging to find further evidence of these ancient journeys.
The study also highlights a second wave of migration around 6,800 years ago, when people with genetic ties to the Levant—modern-day Southwest Asia—settled in the eastern Maghreb. These pastoralists likely introduced domesticated animals, marking the gradual transition from hunting and gathering to herding in the region.
