New study unravels the history of the largest pastoral population in Africa

 

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The basic survival strategy of all pastoralist groups in the Sahel is transhumance. This involves moving from areas of scarce water and pasture to more productive areas, driven by the seasonal alternation of dry and rainy seasons. In the picture, a Fulani woman with tent poles and part of her household on a donkey, central Mali.

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Credit: Viktor Černý

Researchers have uncovered the origins and genetic diversity of the Fulani, one of Africa’s largest pastoral populations. The study reveals a complex genetic ancestry with influences from both North and West Africa, shaped by historical migrations that have left a lasting impact on their genetic landscape.

Fulani populations speak languages from the Niger-Congo family and live in scattered locations across the Sahel/Savannah belt. Besides their large distribution from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Chad, the ancestral origins of the Fulani people are unclear. This is mainly because the vast majority of the Fulani have a nomadic lifestyle and use temporary camps or mobile tents, which do not leave traceable archaeological evidence.

“Even though the Fulani are a huge population group of more than 40 million people, they are still largely underrepresented in genomics research. Therefore, this study has important implications for our understanding of the Fulani population's history in particular and human diversity in Africa in general,” says Cesar Fortes-Lima, a population geneticist at Johns Hopkins University and Uppsala University and first author of the study.

The study, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, was conducted in seven African countries from the Sahel belt in collaboration with Fulani communities and local researchers. The researchers collected biological samples and anthropological information from over 460 Fulani participants across 18 locations in Africa.

Genetics shaped by interactions with different local groups

The team found correlations between culture, geography and genetics matching the distribution of Fulani groups.

“Our analysis revealed genetic differences between local Fulani populations following a west-east cline, highlighting their complex genetic history, which was shaped by interactions with different local groups and various demographic events,” says Mame Yoro Diallo, a PhD candidate from Charles University, Prague, who was involved in the study.

The study underscores the importance of the lifestyle of Fulani populations. Their subsistence strategies as nomadic pastoralists have influenced the genetic diversity among local Fulani populations along with their geographic distribution.

Can be traced back to the Green Sahara period

The authors also revealed a genetic component closely associated with all studied Fulani populations, suggesting a shared ancestral component possibly linked to the beginning of African pastoralism during the Green Sahara period, 12,000–5,000 years before the present.

“Comparisons between genetic data of Fulani and ancient individuals identified the presence of a genetic component in all Fulani populations associated with ancient groups from North Africa, providing additional insights into their deep genetic history and ancient contacts, particularly with Moroccan populations such as the Berber,” says Carina Schlebusch, an evolutionary geneticist at Uppsala University and senior author of the study.

Furthermore, Fulani populations have shown genetic contributions from other African groups from western, central and eastern sub-Saharan Africa.

“During the last 500 years, the trans-Saharan trade could also have played a pivotal role in facilitating the development of extensive trade networks for the Fulani, further allowing the spread of pastoralism in Africa in different directions across the Sahel belt and beyond,” says Schlebusch.

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Journal

American Journal of Human Genetics

DOI

10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.12.015 

Missing link in Indo-European languages' history found

 

New insights into our linguistic roots via ancient DNA analysis

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Vienna

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Fig. 1: Photo of Remontnoye (3766-3637 calBCE), with a spiral temple ring.

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Credit: Natalia Shishlina (co-author of "The Genetic Origin of the Indo-Europeans")

Where lies the origin of the Indo-European language family? Ron Pinhasi and his team in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna contribute a new piece to this puzzle in collaboration with David Reich's ancient DNA laboratory at Harvard University. They analyzed ancient DNA from 435 individuals from archaeological sites across Eurasia between 6.400–2.000 BCE. They found out that a newly recognized Caucasus-Lower Volga population can be connected to all Indo-European-speaking populations. The new study is published in Nature.

Indo-European languages (IE), which number over 400 and include major groups such as Germanic, Romance, Slavic, Indo-Iranian, and Celtic, are spoken by nearly half the world's population today. Originating from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language, historians and linguists since the 19th century have been investigating its origins and spread as there is still a knowledge gap. 

The new study published in Nature, also involving Tom Higham and Olivia Cheronet from the University of Vienna, analyzes ancient DNA from 435 individuals from archaeological sites across Eurasia between 6400–2000 BCE. Earlier genetic studies had shown that the Yamnaya culture (3.300-2.600 BCE) of the Pontic-Caspian steppes north of the Black and Caspian Seas expanded into both Europe and Central Asia beginning about 3.100 BCE, accounting for the appearance of "steppe ancestry" in human populations across Eurasia 3.100-1.500 BCE. These migrations out of the steppes had the largest effect on European human genomes of any demographic event in the last 5.000 years and are widely regarded as the probable vector for the spread of Indo-European languages. 

The only branch of Indo-European language (IE) that had not exhibited any steppe ancestry previously was Anatolian, including Hittite, probably the oldest branch to split away, uniquely preserving linguistic archaisms that were lost in all other IE branches. Previous studies had not found steppe ancestry among the Hittites because, the new paper argues, the Anatolian languages were descended from a language spoken by a group that had not been adequately described before, an Eneolithic population dated 4.500-3.500 BCE in the steppes between the North Caucasus Mountains and the lower Volga. When the genetics of this newly recognized Caucasus-Lower Volga (CLV) population are used as a source, at least five individuals in Anatolia dated before or during the Hittite era show CLV ancestry.

Newly recognized population with broad influence

The new study shows the Yamnaya population to have derived about 80% of its ancestry from the CLV group, which also provided at least one-tenth of the ancestry of Bronze Age central Anatolians, speakers of Hittite. "The CLV group therefore can be connected to all IE-speaking populations and is the best candidate for the population that spoke Indo-Anatolian, the ancestor of both Hittite and all later IE languages," explains Ron Pinhasi. The results further suggest that the integration of the proto-Indo-Anatolian language, shared by both Anatolian and Indo-European peoples, reached its zenith among the CLV communities between 4.400 BC and 4.000 BC.

"The discovery of the CLV population as the missing link in the Indo-European story marks a turning point in the 200-years-old quest to reconstruct the origins of the Indo-Europeans and the routes by which these people spread across Europe and parts of Asia", concludes Ron Pinhasi.

The early roots of carnival? Research reveals evidence of seasonal celebrations in pre-colonial Brazil

 

Pre-colonial people in Brazil may have gathered in summer months to feast on migratory fish and share alcoholic drinks, a new study suggests

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of York

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Lead author of the study, Dr Marjolein Admiraal carried out the research while at the Bioarchaeology laboratory (BioArCh) at the University of York

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Credit: Alex Holland, University of York

Pre-colonial people in Brazil may have gathered in summer months to feast on migratory fish and share alcoholic drinks, a new study suggests.

An international team – involving scientists from the University of York, UK; the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, and the Universidade Federal de Pelotas in Brazil – analysed pottery fragments dating back to between 2300 and 1200 years ago which were discovered around the Patos Lagoon in Brazil.

The shores of the Lagoon are characterised by settled earthen mounds, known as “Cerritos” which were built by pre-colonial ancestors of Pampean Indigenous groups called the Charrua and Minuano.

The researchers tentatively identified some of the earliest evidence of alcoholic drink production in the region, with cutting-edge analysis of the pottery revealing traces of beverages made using vegetables – likely to have been tubers, sweetcorn and palm. Other pottery fragments contained evidence of the processing of fish.

The discovery adds evidence to the researchers’ belief that pre-colonial people may have gathered around the mounds – which held symbolic significance as burials, territorial markers, and monuments – to celebrate and feast on seasonally abundant fish. An earlier study using isotope analysis of ancient human remains unearthed in the area indicated that the inhabitants had diverse diets, suggesting that people may have travelled to the Lagoon from the wider region.

Lead author of the study, Dr Marjolein Admiraal, who carried out the research while at the Bioarchaeology laboratory (BioArCh) at the University of York, suggests seasonal gatherings at the mounds were important cultural events, drawing dispersed communities together to exploit and celebrate the return of migrating fish – such as the Whitemouth croaker – which likely required collective effort to process.

 “We see examples of such practices around the world, often related to seasonal abundance of migratory species. These events provide an excellent opportunity for social activities, such as funerals and marriages, and hold great cultural significance”, she says.

“Our findings – supported by a combination of biomolecular and isotopic approaches in organic residue analysis – provide compelling evidence for the use of fermented beverages in these ancient communities and show that pottery played a crucial role in feasting and social activities.”

Professor Oliver Craig from BioArCh at the University of York said “Through detailed chemical analysis we were able to determine what products were present in the Cerritos pottery vessels but also how people prepared these products, through heating, storage and potentially fermentation. This brings us one step closer to understanding the culinary role of different foodstuffs in past societies”

The discovery sheds new light on the lifeways of these pre-colonial groups, highlighting the multifaceted purposes of the Cerritos and their role in the social and economic life of the mound builders, the researchers say.

Co-author of the research, Rafael Milheira from the Universidade Federal de Pelotas in Brazil said: “The Cerritos are a combination of ritual and domestic places, and their elevated design may have been influenced by the local environment; these places were likely important to the people and raising them above potential erosion by seasonal high waters would have protected them.

“We know that large gatherings and feasts were important cultural events in the past (and today), throughout the world. And we suggest prehistoric people in the area would have invested in pottery production in anticipation of these gatherings which drew people to Patos Lagoon to feast on seasonal aquatic resources.”

André Colonese, from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, co-author of the research and Principal Investigator of the ERC project TRADITION, highlights: “This study reinforces the power of molecular archaeology in unlocking information from common artefacts, such as pottery sherds, that was previously inaccessible through conventional archaeological methods. Moreover, a key message from the paper is that preserving the Cerritos as unique Pampean cultural heritage is of high priority if we want to learn from past societies how to sustainably live in such a dynamic environment”.

As research continues, these insights into the Cerritos and their cultural significance offer a glimpse into the early traditions and social practices of the Pampean Indigenous groups, enriching our understanding of prehistoric life in southern Brazil.

Feasting on fish. Specialized function of pre-colonial pottery of the Cerritos mound builders of southern Brazil is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Silk Roads

 

British Museum

26 September 2024 – 23 February 2025

Camel caravans crossing desert dunes, merchants trading silks and spices at bazaars – these are images that come to mind when we think of the Silk Roads. But the reality goes far beyond this.

A ground-breaking exhibition at the British Museum, Silk Roads challenges and expands the modern popular concept of the ‘Silk Road’ as a simple history of trade between ‘East’ and ‘West’. Rather than a single trade route, the Silk Roads were made up of overlapping networks linking communities across Asia, Africa and Europe, from East Asia to Britain, Scandinavia to Madagascar.

This major show is the first to look at how the epic journeys of people, objects and ideas along the Silk Roads shaped cultures and histories. The Silk Roads were in use for millennia, and the exhibition focuses on a defining period in their history, from about AD 500–1000. These centuries saw significant leaps in connectivity and the rise of major religions that linked communities across continents.

Structured into five geographical zones, the exhibition showcases more than 300 objects – including loans from national and international institutions. From Tang Chinese ceramics destined for ports in the Middle East to Indian garnets found in Suffolk, they reveal the astonishing reach of these networks.

Many of the items are on display in the UK for the very first time, including the oldest group of chess pieces ever found and a monumental six-metre-long wall painting from the ‘Hall of the

Ambassadors’ in Afrasiab (Samarkand), Uzbekistan. The painting evokes the cosmopolitanism of the Sogdians, from Central Asia, who were great traders during this period.

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Ancient Sudan: enduring heritage

 Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery 

(1 February – 19 April 2025)

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery 

(3 May – 27 July 2025)

Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum 

(9 August – 9 November 2025) 

A new touring exhibition will explore the Kushite Kingdom, one of the largest

empires in the ancient world, which flourished in Sudan nearly 3,000 years ago.

A British Museum Spotlight Loan Ancient Sudan: enduring heritage will examine this ancient culture’s skilled craftsmanship, distinct religious beliefs, and the important role of women in their society, as well as exploring the rich culture of modern Sudan.

Positioned at a crossroads between Central Africa and the Mediterranean, Ancient Sudan was a nexus for people, cultures and ideas. The Kingdom of Kush (8th century BC – 4th century AD) was, at its height, one of the largest empires in the ancient world, ruling from the Blue Nile to the Levant. Its many notable rulers include Taharqo, who fought the Assyrians and built temples across Sudan and Egypt, and Amanirenas, who may have been the queen responsible for resisting Roman expansion into Sudan.

Sudan’s cultural heritage now faces significant threats, due to an ongoing civil war that has displaced millions of people. While highlighting the efforts of Sudanese people to protect their heritage, the exhibition will introduce audiences to a deep, rich culture that is not defined by present conflict.

At each of the tour’s venues, the exhibition programme will be developed with local community groups. Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery will collaborate with Sudanese Community In And Around Portsmouth, which organises social and cultural events to preserve heritage, and the Rural Refugee Network, which offers support to refugees from Sudan and other countries affected by conflict. The exhibition will also make links with the work of conservation and documentation projects such as Safeguarding Sudan’s Living Heritage, the Darfur Women’s Museum and Sudan Memory.

This Spotlight Loan includes nine items loaned from the British Museum, with highlights including:

 Bronze figurehead of a goddess (3rd century BC) Found in Kawa, Sudan, this striking object would have been fitted to the prow of a ceremonial boat that housed a statue of a god and was carried between temples. The figurehead may represent the goddess Isis and was commissioned by King Arnekhamani, a Kushite king who constructed temples in central Sudan.

 Sandstone offering table (AD 25–150) This carved offering table belonged to a person named Qenabelile and features a central depression into which liquids such as water were poured as libations to the dead. It features inscriptions in Meroitic, the indigenous written language of the later Kushite period, and depictions of the deities Nephthys and Anubis. The imagery takes inspiration from earlier Egyptian models but is used in a distinct Kushite fashion.

 Clay jar decorated with Nile crocodiles (AD 250–300) This wheel-made jar was placed in a grave next to a wealthy individual in a cemetery near the northern town of Faras. It was designed to hold liquid, perhaps water, but had been filled with straw to transform it into a symbolic grave offering. It is decorated with intricately painted crocodiles, an animal both feared and revered across Kush, where the river Nile was an essential part of daily life.

Dr Loretta Kilroe, Project Curator: Sudan and Nubia at the British Museum, said: “Sudan has a fascinating history and a rich cultural heritage that is often overlooked. With ongoing conflict in the region, it is vital that this heritage is protected. In collaboration with Sudanese communities, this exhibition will highlight ongoing protection and conservation efforts, as well as bringing Sudan’s fascinating history to life for new audiences.”

Dr Daniel Antoine, Keeper of the Department of Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum, said: “We have an ongoing commitment to conservation efforts in Sudan, working closely with colleagues in the region through long-term research projects and the work of the Sudan Archaeological Research Society, founded over 30 years ago. We are delighted to collaborate with Sudanese communities on this exhibition and to introduce people around the UK to Sudan’s rich cultural heritage, both past and present.”

Dr Abdelrahman Ali Mohamed Rahma, former Director General of the National Corporation of Antiquities and Museums Sudan and current UNESCO Sudan Representative, said: “Ancient Sudan, once home to the great Kingdoms of Kush and Nubia, possesses a rich and enduring heritage that has profoundly shaped the cultural landscape of Africa and the world. This is now under serious threat. The National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums Sudan (NCAM) is coordinating with UNESCO and other international partners such as the British Museum to protect Sudanese sites and museums.”

Ancient agricultural strategies revealed: how pre-industrial communities adapted to climate changes

 

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Vilnius University

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Bread wheat field

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Credit: Photo credit: Giedre Motuzaite Matuzeviciute

The study provides insights into the resilience and ingenuity of ancient agricultural systems, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between environmental challenges and human innovation. By analyzing archaeological evidence and historical records, the researchers reconstructed past crop repertoires, shedding light on how communities diversified their agriculture to ensure food security amidst changing conditions.

This research enhances our understanding of historical agricultural practices and offers valuable lessons for modern agriculture. As contemporary societies face greater climate variability and socioeconomic uncertainties, the adaptive strategies of the past may inform sustainable agricultural practices and policies today.

“Recent drying-up processes and increased risk of prolonged heatwaves and subsequent droughts are challenging our socio-political resilience, and demand a rethinking of global food production strategies. Reconsidering drought tolerant species, therefore, can help mitigate the long-term effects of current global warming,” says environmental scientist Dr. Michael Kempf.

“It is due to the Little Ice Age that the staple foods such as rye bread and buckwheat porridge came to dominate the cuisine of northeastern Europeans. Warming climates might  lead us back to forgotten millet crops,” says Prof. Motuzaite Matuzeviciute.

Situated at the intersection of different climatic zones, northeastern Europe represents a marginal agricultural region where buffer crops play a crucial role in ensuring food security amidst shifting environmental conditions.

“Natural conditions, agriculture, and gastronomic culture have always been closely interconnected. Gastronomic culture is more inert, meaning that environmental changes first affected agriculture and only later became apparent in the kitchen. Therefore, studying these processes is essential for understanding both past and contemporary societies.” noted Prof. Rimvydas Laužikas.

The historical records indicate a southward shift of millet agriculture during the onset of the Little Ice Age. The Vilnius University PhD candidate Meiirzhan Abdrakhmanov concludes that “this study emphasizes the dynamic nature of agricultural adaptation and underscores the resilience of past communities in responding to climatic 

For more details, see the full study: "The Shifting of Buffer Crop Repertoires in Pre-Industrial North-Eastern Europe" at Nature Scientific Reports.