Bioarchaeology of the Near East, 2:39-61 (2008)

Research on ancient DNA in the Near East

Mateusz Baca* (1), Martyna Molak (2)
(1) Center for Precolumbian Studies, University of Warsaw,
ul. Krakowskie Przedmiescie 26/28, 00-927 Warsaw, Poland
email: bacamat@gmail.com (corresponding author)
(2) Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Warsaw,
ul. Pawińskiego 5a, 05-106 Warsaw, Poland

Abstract: In the early 1990s, when studies of ancient DNA became possible, new perspectives of analyzing archaeological data also developed. Nowadays, because the methodology related to ancient DNA research is well developed, it has been used to reveal several aspects of human history and interaction. Here we review the basic concepts, methodologies, and recent developments in the fi eld of ancient DNA studies with a special reference to the Near East. Th is includes not only human but also animal and bacterial DNA.

Key words: archaeogenetics, aDNA, mtDNA, tuberculosis, animal domestication

Received 17 December 2008; accepted 6 March 2009; published online 15 March 2009.

Cited by:

1. Ullinger J.M. (2010), Skeletal health changes and increasing sedentism at Early Bronze Age Bab edh-Dhra, Jordan, PhD thesis, The Ohio State University.
   
2. Soltysiak A. (2010), Death and decay at the dawn of the city, Instytut Archeologii UW: Warszawa.
   
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