The Genomic History of the Bronze Age Southern Levant

Genome-wide DNA data for 73 individuals from five archaeological sites across the Bronze and Iron Ages Southern Levant. These individuals, who share the “Canaanite” material culture, can be modeled as descending from two sources: (1) earlier local Neolithic populations, and (2) populations related to the Chalcolithic Zagros or the Bronze Age Caucasus. The non-local contribution increased over time, as evinced by three outliers who can be modeled as descendants of recent migrants. There is evidence that different “Canaanite” groups genetically resemble each other more than other populations. Levant-related modern populations typically have substantial ancestry coming from populations related to the Chalcolithic Zagros and the Bronze Age Southern Levant. These groups also harbor ancestry from sources that cannot be fully modeled with the available data, highlighting the critical role of post-Bronze Age migrations into the region over the past 3000 years.