Note on the contribution of genetics to understanding the organization of camel caravans in antiquity

Almathen et al. (1) find a high level of genetic diversity across the whole dromedary distribution range. The results are inconsistent with the hypothesis of negative correlation between high polymorphism and distance from the center of domestication (2). The lack of phylogeographic pattern demonstrates the mobility of the camel and its important role in ancient trade. Only places where camel populations were used more for subsistence than for trade, such as East Africa and remote parts of Arabia, show a less diverse genetic signature.