Ancient DNA revealed the origin of the Philistines

This mysterious nation may have fled from the collapsing societies of southern Europe to Israel

Genetic clues are difficult to obtain from the bones of the Philistines , a nation known through the Old Testament for their battles with the Israelites , shedding light on the vague origins of some mysteries.

The remains of the Philistines are buried in Ashkelon, an ancient Philitine port city in Israel.

According to a report by Michal Feldman and colleagues, DNA extracted from the remains of 10 people buried in Ashkelon, an ancient port city of Israel in Israel, showing molecular links to the ancient and present population in east of the Mediterranean. According to the researchers' conclusion in an article published on Science Advances on July 3, Ashkelon residents brought the genetic characteristics of southern Europe between 3,150 and 3,400 years ago, but it has turned lost quickly when the war ended with the native population increased.

Genetic evidence from Ashkelon is consistent with a scenario in which seafarers from southern Europe have fled from the societies of Bronze Age collapsed more than 3,000 years ago and have settled along the east coast China, where they are called Philistines. Feldman, from the Max Planck Institute for Historical Sciences in Jena, Germany and colleagues, said larger studies of ancient DNA could help determine the exact origin of the Philistines.

DNA is poorly preserved in hot, dry areas such as the Middle East. The researchers succeeded in obtaining the DNA nucleus, inherited from both parents, from 10 skeletons: three people in the Late Bronze Age were buried at Ashkelon about 3,600 years ago; the first four children The iron age was buried beneath Ashkelon houses between 3,150 and 3,400 years ago; and three people at the end of the Iron Age were buried in a large cemetery next to Ashkelon city wall about 3,100 years ago. Southern European DNA initially appeared in early Iron Age children around the time of archaeological finds that the Philistines once lived in Ashkelon, but most disappeared at the end of the Iron Age.