Taforalt, Sahara and DNA: Morocco’s Ancient Genetic Legacy

The mystery surrounding the settlement of the “Green Sahara” is becoming clearer thanks to DNA. According to a study published in the journal Nature and reported by Euronews, scientists from the Max Planck Institute have identified a close genetic connection between two mummies found at Takarkori (southwestern Libya) and the hunter-gatherers of Taforalt Cave, Morocco, dating back 15,000 years.

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This discovery is fundamental: it proves the persistence of a specifically North African genetic lineage. The analyses show that these populations belonged to a previously unknown “ghost population,” whose ancestors split from sub-Saharan African communities around 50,000 years ago.

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Despite the temporal and geographical distance, the individuals from Takarkori and those from Taforalt share a similar genetic distance from sub-Saharan groups, suggesting regional biological continuity. The study nevertheless notes one nuance: although the Libyan individuals carry traces of Neanderthal DNA, their level is ten times lower than that of their distant Moroccan cousins from Taforalt.

This research also challenges migration models. It suggests that the adoption of herding and agriculture by these local populations occurred through cultural transmission and the exchange of know-how, rather than through demographic replacement originating elsewhere.