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I mentioned this paper was in the works some time ago. It appears to have been published even sooner than I anticipated!
Ancient genomes from Great Zimbabwe show a Cushitic affinity and significant Eurasian admixture
ABSTRACT
Although the identity of the people who erected the monumental stone architecture of Great Zimbabwe and related sites in Southeastern Africa appeared uncertain at first, most archaeologists in recent generations have identified them with the Shona Bantu-speaking community present in the region today. Here, we analyze ancient DNA from human remains excavated from various sites in the Zimbabwean region that all date to the Late Iron Age, making them contemporaneous with Great Zimbabwe's construction. Contrary to initial expectations, these "Great Zimbabwean" genomes all show closer affinity to modern Somali populations than to the region's current Bantu inhabitants or other Niger-Congo-speaking Africans, with elite individuals in particular having elevated Ethio-Somali Eurasian ancestry in comparison to the other samples. This new data may prompt a re-evaluation of traditional assumptions about the origins of the Great Zimbabwe culture and the role of Ethio-Somali-admixed populations in the history of African civilizations.
Here is the link to the published paper.
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Disclaimer: this was an April's fools joke. Don't take it seriously.
Ancient genomes from Great Zimbabwe show a Cushitic affinity and significant Eurasian admixture
ABSTRACT
Although the identity of the people who erected the monumental stone architecture of Great Zimbabwe and related sites in Southeastern Africa appeared uncertain at first, most archaeologists in recent generations have identified them with the Shona Bantu-speaking community present in the region today. Here, we analyze ancient DNA from human remains excavated from various sites in the Zimbabwean region that all date to the Late Iron Age, making them contemporaneous with Great Zimbabwe's construction. Contrary to initial expectations, these "Great Zimbabwean" genomes all show closer affinity to modern Somali populations than to the region's current Bantu inhabitants or other Niger-Congo-speaking Africans, with elite individuals in particular having elevated Ethio-Somali Eurasian ancestry in comparison to the other samples. This new data may prompt a re-evaluation of traditional assumptions about the origins of the Great Zimbabwe culture and the role of Ethio-Somali-admixed populations in the history of African civilizations.
Here is the link to the published paper.
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Disclaimer: this was an April's fools joke. Don't take it seriously.
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