The History of Iberian and Moroccan Populations: Evidence from Genetic Data (DNA Studies and Classical Polymorphisms)

Given the geographic location and the history of the Iberian Peninsula it is reasonable to look for some Mediterranean component in the current genetic pool of the populations. Due to the ambivalent role of the Mediterranean Sea, acting both as geographical barrier and vehicle favouring cultural and/or population exchanges, the relationships between the human groups settled in northern and southern shores constitute an interesting challenge to anthropological genetics. One example of the North to South Mediterranean interactions is illustrated by controversies on the particular relationships between the Iberian Peninsula and Northwestern Africa, whose antiquity and demographical importance still remains an open question. Although some cultural data (see e.g. Jackes et al. 1997;Desanges 1983) indicate important population contacts since pre-Neolithic times, and major prehistorical migrations into the Iberian Peninsula (North Africans, between 20,000 and 8,000 years BC; Saharans, between 8,000 and 4,000 years BC) seem to be documented (Ramos-Oliveira 1971;McEvedy and Jones 1978;Garcia Bellido 1985), the possible genetic impact associated is controversial.