Shilha (Souss) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Morocco · North Africa
Shilha, or Tashelhit, is the Berber language of southwestern Morocco, spoken in the Souss valley, the Anti-Atlas and the western High Atlas, and it has more speakers than any other Berber language in the country. In our model, 42.8% of the ancestry comes from North African hunter-gatherers, represented by the Iberomaurusians of Taforalt, the highest share of this deep local layer in our atlas, almost level with Anatolian Neolithic farmers (41.5%). West African (6.0%), Natufian (5.1%) and steppe (4.7%) ancestry make up the rest. Northern Berber groups such as the Riffians and Kabyles have far less of the hunter-gatherer layer (29.1% and 27.7%), so the Souss carries the clearest trace of North Africa's Ice Age foragers in our data. The closest modern averages are two more Berber samples labelled Shilha, from Tiznit and the Ait Atta, then Moroccan Arabs from Errachidia. The closest ancient group is Iron Age Punic Kerkouane in Tunisia, with a North African profile (0.0247).
- Largest ancient components in our model: North African hunter-gatherers (Iberomaurusian) 42.8%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 41.5%, West African 6.0%
- Closest modern population in our data: Berber (Morocco Shilha Tiznit), distance 0.0128
- Closest ancient group in our data: Tunisia IA Phoenician/Punic Kerkouane (North African Profile), distance 0.0247
Where does Shilha (Souss) DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Shilha (Souss) individuals sampled in Morocco, listed in the G25 sheet as "Berber_Morocco_Shilha" and compare them with deep ancestral reference populations, with other modern groups and with ancient genomes. It is one of 335 populations in our atlas.
Ancient make-up of the Shilha (Souss) average
The ancient make-up of the Shilha (Souss) average is led by North African hunter-gatherers (Iberomaurusian) (42.8%), followed by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (41.5%) and West African (6.0%). The North African hunter-gatherers (Iberomaurusian) component reflects the Late Stone Age North Africans known from the Taforalt cave in Morocco. The Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (41.5%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
Smaller traces of Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (under 5%) also appear. At that level they can reflect real minor ancestry, but also simple model noise, so they should not be over-read. The model fits well (fit distance 0.023), so these proportions are a reasonable summary. The model draws on West Eurasian ancient genomes, with modern West African and East Asian stand-ins.
Tamazgha – North African Ancestry Report
Closest modern populations to Shilha (Souss)
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Shilha (Souss) average is Berber (Morocco Shilha Tiznit), at a distance of 0.013 (very close). Next come Berber (Morocco Shilha Ait Atta) at 0.016 and Moroccan Arab (Errachidia) at 0.021. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Moroccan Arab (Errachidia) (0.021), Mozabite (other sample set) (0.035) and Sahrawi (0.040). By the tenth closest (Moroccan Arab (Jebala Chefchaouen)) the distance grows to 0.053, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berber (Morocco Shilha Tiznit) | 0.0128 | Very close |
| 2 | Berber (Morocco Shilha Ait Atta) | 0.0158 | Very close |
| 3 | Moroccan Arab (Errachidia) | 0.0211 | Very close |
| 4 | Mozabite (other sample set) | 0.0354 | Close |
| 5 | Sahrawi | 0.0399 | Close |
| 6 | Mauritanian (Beidane) | 0.0406 | Close |
| 7 | Tunisian Berber (Tamezret) | 0.0504 | Moderate |
| 8 | Moroccan Arab | 0.0509 | Moderate |
| 9 | Tunisian Berber (Matmata) | 0.0519 | Moderate |
| 10 | Moroccan Arab (Jebala Chefchaouen) | 0.0526 | Moderate |
Distances are Euclidean distances between averaged G25 coordinates. On our scale, below 0.025 is very close, below 0.050 close, below 0.080 moderate, and beyond that distant.
Closest ancient populations to Shilha (Souss)
Among ancient genomes, the closest match to the modern Shilha (Souss) average is Tunisia IA Phoenician/Punic Kerkouane (North African Profile) (Iron Age), at 0.025, followed by Hungary Late Antiquity Roman (North African Profile) and Canary Islands High-Late Medieval Guanche. That is a very close match, which suggests strong genetic continuity between those ancient people (or close relatives of theirs) and the modern population. A close ancient match is not proof of direct descent: it means those individuals carried a similar overall mix of ancestry.
| # | Ancient sample or group | Period | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tunisia IA Phoenician/Punic Kerkouane (North African Profile) | Iron Age | 0.0247 |
| 2 | Hungary Late Antiquity Roman (North African Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0334 |
| 3 | Canary Islands High-Late Medieval Guanche | High to Late Medieval, c. 1000-1500 AD | 0.0405 |
| 4 | Canary Islands Guanche | Pre-Hispanic Canary Islands, before c. 1500 AD | 0.0413 |
| 5 | Canary Islands Early Medieval Guanche | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0433 |
| 6 | Canary Islands High Medieval Guanche | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0470 |
| 7 | Italy Sardinia CA (North African Profile) | Copper Age (Chalcolithic) | 0.0471 |
| 8 | Canary Islands Late Medieval Guanche | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.0472 |
| 9 | Canary Islands Late Medieval-Early Modern Guanche | Late Medieval to Early Modern, c. 1300-1800 AD | 0.0492 |
| 10 | Spain Andalusia IA Punic-Roman Republic Villaricos (North African Profile) | Roman Republic, c. 500-27 BC | 0.0530 |
Ancient DNA from Morocco
Our ancient DNA database holds 52 individuals excavated in present-day Morocco, dated from about 19,806 BC to 3,700 BC. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are E1b (8), G2a (3) and T1a (3), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U6 (14), H (10) and K1 (3). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Shilha (Souss) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Morocco
- Genomic history of Northwestern Africa, since the Iron Age (2026)
- Moroccan genome project: genomic insight into a North African population (2025)
- Moroccan genome project: Genomic insight into a North African population (2024)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 52 from Morocco.
Compare yourself with Shilha (Souss)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Shilha (Souss) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Shilha (Souss) and its neighbours. To find out which of our reports actually fits your DNA, run the free Report Finder: it runs the same fit test that every report uses before an order.
No G25 coordinates yet? Get a free simulated G25 from your raw DNA file, or order G25 coordinates.
About these numbers
Keep in mind that a population average is a statistical summary of a limited number of sampled individuals. Real people inside any group vary, some carry more of one ancestry and some less, and no genetic profile decides who is or is not Shilha (Souss). Use these numbers as a map of deep ancestry, not as a label.
Method: averaged G25 coordinates, Euclidean distances to other modern and ancient averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations (data generated 2026-10-01). Read the full method.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Shilha (Souss) average. Your own DNA has its own story: Tamazgha – North African Ancestry Report (15€) models your genome against the ancient sources and modern communities of the region, era by era, in a personal PDF report.
A report built for people with roots in North Africa: ancient regional core (Iberomaurusian and Taforalt, Neolithic farmers and Green Sahara herders, Numidians and Libyan natives, Carthage, Roman Africa, Vandal and Byzantine Africa, the...
More populations from North Africa
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Shilha (Souss)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Shilha (Souss) average is about 42.8% North African hunter-gatherers (Iberomaurusian), 41.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 6.0% West African. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Shilha (Souss)?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Berber (Morocco Shilha Tiznit)), the closest modern populations to the Shilha (Souss) average are Moroccan Arab (Errachidia), Mozabite (other sample set) and Sahrawi. The closest ancient matches are Tunisia IA Phoenician/Punic Kerkouane (North African Profile), Hungary Late Antiquity Roman (North African Profile) and Canary Islands High-Late Medieval Guanche.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Shilha (Souss)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Shilha (Souss) average and to its neighbours. If you have G25 coordinates, paste them in the comparison box on this page to check that for free.
Which ExploreYourDNA report suits Shilha (Souss) ancestry?
For the Shilha (Souss) average, the regional report to choose is Tamazgha – North African Ancestry Report, which our fit test rates as an excellent match. Your own DNA may differ from the average, so the free Report Finder checks every report against your file before you buy.
Where does the data on this page come from?
From the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the sampled individuals: genetic distances to other modern and ancient population averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations. The full method is described at https://www.exploreyourdna.com/populations#method.