The Mediterranean Human Population: An Anthropological Genetics Perspective

Abstract

The Mediterranean Sea has long been one of the most important and crowded natural hubs for the expansion of human genes and cultures, representing a tri-continental crossroads for human migrations since the first dispersals of anatomically modern humans out of Africa. Both its ancient and modern history, with its amazing chronicle of biological and cultural transitions, has substantially influenced the current patchwork of anthropological types existing within this area. For a deep dissection of this patchwork, Anthropological Genetics combines information related to the population dynamics able to shape the genetic structure of human populations (i.e. geographical constraints, language, cultural, social and political barriers) to those provided by the powerful tools of molecular biology and population genetics. This comprehensive approach allows to trace genetic profiles of Mediterranean populations into the past to discover and reconstruct their origins and demographic histories, as well as their evolutionary relationships. Nevertheless, the genetic landscape of Mediterranean populations is far from being exhaustively drawn. Several Anthropological Genetics projects, basing on an even deeper genetic characterization of dense and accurately selected geographic samples, have been just launched and promise to shed new light on the pivotal role of the Mediterranean basin as a genetic barrier and/or a bridge between human groups characterized by different African, Near Eastern or European cultural backgrounds.