Tag

Swahili

All articles tagged with #swahili

anthropology2 years ago•2 min saved

DNA study reveals mixed African and Asian ancestry of Medieval Swahilis.

A DNA study of 80 people who lived in different Swahili areas from 1250 to 1800 CE has revealed that up to half of the DNA of people from Swahili areas was from Persia (90 percent) and India (10 percent). The other half was almost entirely African women, confirming ancient oral histories about the shared ancestry of Swahili people. The study also showed that the hallmarks of Swahili civilisation predated the arrivals from abroad. The intermingling was mostly Persian men having children with African women, and from about 1500 CE, the ancestors increasingly came from Arabia.

via Al Jazeera English|

#african-ancestry #ancient-history #anthropology

science-and-technology2 years ago•6 min saved

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.

via The Conversation|

#ancient-dna #colonialism #east-africa

science-and-history2 years ago•7 min saved

Uncovering the Ancestry of East Africa's Swahili People through DNA Analysis

A genetic analysis of ancient bones and teeth from six burial sites across coastal Kenya and Tanzania has confirmed the long-told origin story of the Swahili people, who believed that Persian traders sailed across the Indian Ocean, married local women and enmeshed themselves into East African society around 1,000 years ago. The study, published in the journal Nature, found that local African women began having children with Persian traders, and the descendants of these unions gained power and status in the highest levels of pre-colonial Swahili society. The findings help elucidate the foundations of Swahili civilization and suggest that the African-centric version of Swahili roots is more truthful than previously presumed.

via The New York Times|

#african-history #dna-analysis #east-africa