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Ancient DNA Reveals Minoan Origins in Anatolian Farmers

Tuesday, 30 June 2026/Source: Google News/1 min read

In 2020, ancient DNA research provided new insights into the origins of the Minoans, the Bronze Age civilization that flourished on Crete from roughly 2700 to 1450 BCE. Genetic studies revealed that Minoan populations shared ancestry with other Aegean communities, suggesting greater connectivity across the region than previously understood. The findings also indicated that the Minoans descended largely from Neolithic Anatolian farmers who migrated to Crete thousands of years earlier. This research deepened our understanding of who built the palace complexes at Knossos, Phaistos, and Akrotiri. For visitors to Crete, the discoveries add meaning to sites like the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and the Palace of Knossos, where artifacts from this civilization are on display. Both sites are open to the public and remain among the most visited cultural destinations on the island.

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