A new international study coordinated by Stockholm University revealed the importance of Anatolia as a hub for spreading genes and ideas to the west during the farming expansion in Europe approximately 8,000 years ago. The researchers examined DNA gathered from human material found at the Anatolian site Kumtepe, which was excavated in 1994. Although the material was very degraded, enough DNA was obtained in order to give the researchers insight into the demographics and their connection to the spread of farming.
"I have never worked with a more complicated material," said Ayca Omrak, co-author of the study, in a press release. "But it was worth every hour in the laboratory. I could use the DNA from the Kumtepe material to trace the European farmers back to Anatolia. It is also fun to have worked with this material from the site Kumtepe, as this is the precursor to Troy."
The results show Anatolia's importance in the creation of Europe's cultural history. Jan Storå, who also participated in the research, believes that further research should be done on the area to further our understanding of this importance.
"It is complicated to work with material from this region, it is hot and the DNA is degraded. But if we want to understand how the process that led from a hunter-gatherer society proceeded to a farming society, it is this material we need to exhaust," said Storå.
The remains are believed to stem from Neolithic farmers who were likely the first to inhabit the settlement and eventually lead to the creation of the city of Troy, according to the Daily Mail.
Anders Götherstörm, head archaeogenetic researcher at the Archaeological Research Laboratory, also believes that in order to gain a better grasp of Anatolia's importance and role in Europe's culture, further research should "dive deeper down into material from the Levant."
The Stockholm researchers are currently taking their findings and advancing them in collaboration with scientists from Anatolia and Iran.
