Iberia: Population genetics, anthropology, and linguistics

Basques, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Algerians have been studied for HLA and mitochondrial DNA markers, and the data analysis suggests that pre-Neolith ic gene flow into Iberia came from ancient white North Africans (Hamites). The Basque language has also been used to translate the Iberian-Tartesian l anguage and also Etruscan and Minoan Linear A. Physical anthropometry of Ib erian Mesolithic and Neolithic skeletons does not support the demic replace ment in Iberia of preexisting Mesolithic people by Neolithic people bearing new fanning technologies from Europe and the Middle East. Also, the presen ce of cardial impressed pottery in western Mediterranean Europe and across the Maghreb (North Africa) coasts at the beginning of the Neolithic provide s good evidence of pre-Neolithic circum-Mediterranean contacts by sea. in a ddition, predynastic Egyptian El-Badari culture (4,500 years ago) is simila r to southern Iberian Neolithic settlements with regard to pottery and anim al domestication. Taking the genetic, linguistic, anthropological, and arch eological evidence together with the documented Saharan area desiccation st arting about 10,000 years ago, we believe that it is possible that a geneti c and cultural pre-Neolithic flow coming from southern Mediterranean coasts existed toward northern Mediterranean areas, including at least Iberia and some Mediterranean islands. This model would substitute for the demic diff usion model put forward to explain Neolithic innovations in Western Europe.