Accumulating ancient DNA (aDNA) results have provided a framework for understanding how early European farmers show such genetic affinity to modern Sardinians. Subsequent work on genome-wide variation in ancient Europeans found that most “early European farmer” individuals, even when from geographically distant locales (e.g., from Sweden, Hungary and Spain) have their highest genetic affinity with present-day Sardinian individuals 3, 4, 5, 6.

The whole-genome sequencing in 2012 of “Ötzi”, an individual who was preserved in ice for over 5000 years near the Italo-Austrian border, revealed a surprisingly high level of shared ancestry with present-day Sardinian individuals 1, 2. Overall, our analysis sheds light on the genetic history of Sardinia, revealing how relationships to mainland populations shifted over time. Beginning with individuals from Phoenician/Punic sites (first millennium BCE), we observe spatially-varying signals of admixture with sources principally from the eastern and northern Mediterranean. The earliest individuals show a strong affinity to western Mediterranean Neolithic populations, followed by an extended period of genetic continuity on the island through the Nuragic period (second millennium BCE). To evaluate this model, we generate genome-wide ancient DNA data for 70 individuals from 21 Sardinian archaeological sites spanning the Middle Neolithic through the Medieval period. The current model for Sardinia’s genetic history describes the island as harboring a founder population that was established largely from the Neolithic peoples of southern Europe and remained isolated from later Bronze Age expansions on the mainland. The island of Sardinia has been of particular interest to geneticists for decades.

Nature Communications volume 11, Article number: 939 ( 2020)

Genetic history from the Middle Neolithic to present on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia

Joseph smith timeline chart