Unraveling the Ancestry of East Africa's Swahili People through Ancient DNA.

The first ancient DNA sequences from peoples of the Swahili civilization have been published, contradicting and complicating previous narratives advanced in archaeological, historical or political circles. The ancestry of the people analyzed was not largely African or Asian, but rather intertwined, with each contributing about half of the DNA. The overwhelming majority of male-line ancestors came from Asia, while female-line ancestors came from Africa, reflecting a history of Persian males traveling to the coast and having children with local women. The study provides a meaningful tool for righting colonial wrongs and restoring heritage for the Swahili people.