They paint a picture that shows plenty of genetic complexity, but that also hints at a single mysterious migration about 4,500 years ago that completely shook up ancient Iberians’ DNA. They sequenced the genomes of 271 ancient Iberians, then combined that information with previously published data about 132 other ancient peninsula dwellers. But then the team also found a single individual with North African DNA from a site in the middle of Iberia. Ice Age diversityThe study forms a complex picture of the genetic history of Spain—one that’s reinforced in a companion piece published in the journal Current Biology. They found evidence that different hunter-gatherer cultures mixed on the warm Iberian Peninsula, which they used as an Ice Age refuge 19,000 years ago.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 14, 2019 18:11 UTC