Ancient Maltese genomes and the genetic geography of Neolithic Europe

Newly sequenced Late Neolithic Maltese genomes reveal striking genomic isolation, marked by high runs of homozygosity and minimal hunter-gatherer ancestry, reflecting maritime barriers rather than highways. This contrasts sharply with mainland Europe, where hunter-gatherer ancestry resurged during the period. By analyzing identity-by-descent segments across 261 ancient individuals—including 3 Maltese genomes and 258 published ones—the study maps a fine-grained genetic geography of Neolithic Europe. It highlights how seafaring Mediterranean expansion and island colonization, such as in Ireland, Britain, and Orkney, created distinct genetic differentiation, unlike the contiguous farming migrations from Anatolia and the Balkans that lacked migratory barriers.

Ariano, B., Mattiangeli, V., Breslin, E. M., Parkinson, E. W., McLaughlin, T. R., Thompson, J. E., Power, R. K., Stock, J. T., Mercieca-Spiteri, B., Stoddart, S., Malone, C., Gopalakrishnan, S., Cassidy, L. M., & Bradley, D. G. (2022). Ancient Maltese genomes and the genetic geography of Neolithic Europe. Current Biology, 32(12), 2668–2680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.04.069