Ancient DNA

Abstract

As the continent where humans evolved and thus exhibit the greatest genetic diversity, Africa is one of the most attractive places to conduct ancient DNA (aDNA) research. Yet the “aDNA revolution” only recently reached the continent, thanks in part to methodological breakthroughs that make it possible to extract aDNA from poorly preserved materials from hot and/or humid climates. Since the first fully sequenced ancient African human genome was published in 2015, dozens of additional genomes from the continent have illuminated population movements, economic and social transitions, patterns of adaptation, and the timing of our species' evolution. However, sequenced individuals come from archaeological contexts widely separated in space and time and represent only a tiny fraction of ancient human genetic diversity. Many questions and entire regions/time periods have yet to be explored using aDNA. This is also the case for non‐human African aDNA studies, which have been slower to develop in part because of poor preservation. This entry describes the science of aDNA, discusses how the field has revolutionized in the past decade, and explores the history of aDNA research in Africa starting with mummy studies in the 1980s. It concludes with a discussion of the ethical challenges facing African aDNA research, some of which are specific to the continent while others apply to postcolonial contexts more broadly. While there is major work ahead to ensure aDNA studies in Africa and beyond are conducted ethically and equitably, the field is poised to shift knowledge on the African past in the coming years.