Ancient DNA from Morocco
26 ancient people from Morocco have had their genome published, from 12,699 BC to 3,700 BC. Here they are on a map and period by period, with their archaeological cultures and haplogroups.
Main archaeological groups: Morocco EN (11), Morocco Iberomaurusian (8), Morocco MN (3), Morocco LN (2), Morocco Epipaleolithic (1).
Most frequent Y-DNA lines: E1b (9), G2a (3), T1a (3).
Most frequent mtDNA lines: U6a (9), K1a (2), M1b (2), HV0 (1), J1c (1), J2a (1).
📊 How Morocco's DNA changed over 10,000 years: hunter-gatherers, farmers, steppe herders and later arrivals, period by period.
Find the ancient individuals closest to your own town →
Period by period
Before 10,000 BC (8 individuals)
| Date | Group | Site | Y-DNA | mtDNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,699 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | E1b1b | U6a7b |
| 12,699 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | E1b | |
| 12,550 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | E1b1b1a | U6a7b |
| 12,550 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | E1b1b1a1 | U6a1b |
| 12,550 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | E1b1b | M1b |
| 12,505 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | U6a7 | |
| 12,500 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | E1b1b | U6a7 |
| 12,271 BC | Morocco Iberomaurusian | Taforalt Cave | E1b1b1a1 | U6a6b |
10,000 to 5,000 BC (7 individuals)
| Date | Group | Site | Y-DNA | mtDNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,619 BC | Morocco Epipaleolithic | Ifri Ouberrid | U6a6b | |
| 5,418 BC | Morocco EN | Kaf Taht el-Ghar | U5b2b1a | |
| 5,395 BC | Morocco EN | Kaf Taht el-Ghar | G2a2b2a3a | U6 |
| 5,260 BC | Morocco EN | Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa | M1b1* | |
| 5,144 BC | Morocco EN | Kaf Taht el-Ghar | G2a2b2a1a1c1 | J1c3j |
| 5,113 BC | Morocco EN | Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa | E1b1b | |
| 5,099 BC | Morocco KafTahtelGhar Iberomaurusian | Kaf Taht el-Ghar | G2a2b2a1a1c1 | HV0+195 |
5,000 to 3,000 BC (11 individuals)
| Date | Group | Site | Y-DNA | mtDNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,921 BC | Morocco EN | Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa | E1b1b | X2b |
| 4,852 BC | Morocco EN | Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa | U6a7b2 | |
| 4,852 BC | Morocco EN | Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa | U6a7 | |
| 4,852 BC | Morocco EN | Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa | ||
| 4,852 BC | Morocco EN | Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa | ||
| 4,670 BC | Morocco MN | Skhirat-Rouazi | T1a1a1a1 | J2a2d |
| 4,405 BC | Morocco MN | Skhirat-Rouazi | M1a1b | |
| 4,281 BC | Morocco MN | Skhirat-Rouazi | T1a1 | U6c |
| 3,707 BC | Morocco EN | Kehf el Baroud | ||
| 3,700 BC | Morocco LN | Kehf el Baroud | K1a1b1 | |
| 3,700 BC | Morocco LN | Kehf el Baroud | T1a1 | K1a4a1 |
Excavation sites
- Taforalt Cave 8, 12,699 BC to 12,271 BC
- Ifri n’Amr o’Moussa 7, 5,260 BC to 4,852 BC
- Kaf Taht el-Ghar 4, 5,418 BC to 5,099 BC
- Kehf el Baroud 3, 3,707 BC to 3,700 BC
- Skhirat-Rouazi 3, 4,670 BC to 4,281 BC
- Ifri Ouberrid 1, 5,619 BC
Source: Allen Ancient DNA Resource v66 (Mallick et al. 2024), individuals with a date and coordinates; samples the AADR flags as misdated are left out. Group names are those of the original studies. Haplogroups are shown when they could be read from the ancient DNA.