�鶹��ý����

�鶹��ý���� Visiting Assistant Professor in Data Science Arie Shaus coauthored a groundbreaking study titled “,” which was recently published in Nature. The research shed new light on the genetic diversity of the Punic population, centered in northern Africa, revealing that it exhibited significant genetic diversity with minimal Levantine ancestry.

An international team of researchers analyzed ancient DNA samples obtained from Punic-era archaeological sites. Their findings challenge previous assumptions about the Punic people’s origins, suggesting a more complex and diverse genetic makeup than previously believed.

“This is the first time ancient human DNA has been used to provide evidence about Punic culture — a major, historically significant civilization. The study reveals that this society was highly diverse, interconnected and cosmopolitan,” Shaus explained. “I was fortunate to be part of a large and highly international team of scholars, led by Professors Harald Ringbauer, Ilan Gronau and David Reich, where I contributed to the analysis.”

The researchers used ancient DNA to characterize the Punic people’s ancestry and uncover genetic links between them and Levantine Phoenicians, with whom they share a common culture and language. The research involved sequencing and analyzing a large sample of genomes from human remains found buried in 14 Phoenician and Punic archaeological sites spanning the Levant, North Africa, Iberia, and the Mediterranean islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Ibiza.

The researchers’ insights into the genetic diversity of ancient populations contribute to a broader understanding of human history and migration patterns. The research results challenge previous assumptions and provide a new perspective on how Phoenician culture spread, not through large-scale migration but mainly through a dynamic process of cultural transmission and assimilation.