Phoenician and Carthage: Historians shock new DNA discoveries!

Phoenician and Carthage: Historians shock new DNA discoveries!

Karthago, Tunesien - The decryption of the genetic connections between the ancient Phoenician and Carthaginian cultures has revealed new knowledge of their interactions and descent. A current study shows that the Carthaginians, who are also known as a Punier, took over the Phoenician culture, language and religion, but were not genetically not closely related to the Phoenicians. These results, which were published by a research team that analyzed the genome of 210 antique individuals, reveal important aspects of cultural development in the Mediterranean.

The Phoenician culture spread in the first millennium BC. u. Z. in the central and western Mediterranean and led to the foundation of numerous colonies. Carthage, the best known of these colonies, was created in today's Tunisia and achieved in the mid -6th century BC. u. Z. the dominance over the region. Like the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians specialized in trade and seafaring and built a far -reaching trade network that extended to the Iberian Peninsula. They exported such as wood, purple, ivory, wine and olive oil as well as the first alphabet.

genes and cultural assimilation

The study employees found that the direct genetic contribution of the Levantine Phoenicians to the Punic populations in the western and central Mediterranean was minimal. This indicates that Phoenician culture did not spread through mass migration, but through cultural transmission and assimilation. People with North African descent also lived in Carthage and other Punic cities who mixed with other population groups, whose genes today resemble the residents of Sicily and the Aegean

Another interesting aspect of research is the change in funeral practice. Before the 6th century BC u. Z. the fire burial was predominant in Phoenician communities. The change to earth burial, which started in the middle of the 6th century BC. u. Z., could be interpreted as a sign of integrating new people into these communities.

trade networks and cultural exchange

Trade played a crucial role in the spread of Phoenician culture and the development of Carthage. Similar to the Phoenician society on maritime trade, the silk road, which was important from international trade networks in antiquity to the Middle Ages, also relied on the exchange of goods, cultures and ideas. The Silk Road connected the East Asian Chang’an with significant trading cities in the Mediterranean, including Antiochia and Constantinople. Goods like silk, spices, gemstones and books were transferred through these routes and led to a profound cultural exchange.

The challenges of trade on the Silk Road included robberies, extreme climate conditions and political unrest. However, despite these difficulties, innovative technologies such as compass and paper production were developed, which made it easier to deal with both trade and promoted scientific exchange. Since then, the dynamics of trade have changed significantly from months of travel to modern transport methods that enable faster distribution.

Today, access to the goods that were once considered exotic has become affordable for many thanks to the global digital economy. Exotic goods have changed from the status symbol part of everyday use, which illustrates the impressive developments of trade from ancient times to modern times.

Overall, the new genetic analyzes of the Phoenician and Carthaginian cultures show not only the complexity of their relationships, but also how trade networks have contributed to the cultural development and exchange of ideas. These findings expand our understanding of history and identity in the Mediterranean.

Further information can be found in the reports of Oe24 and History Abitur .