BASONOVA Lecture: DNA Evidence for the Origins of the Philistines
Groundbreaking testing of Philistines’ DNA reveals they migrated across the Mediterranean and settled in Ashkelon by the twelfth century BCE. These recent genetic results may help resolve the long-disputed origins of the Philistines.
On Sunday, November 3, 2019 join Professor Daniel Master, Professor of Archaeology at Wheaton College and Director of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon, as he talks about the recent finds about the origins of the Philistines.
Philistine DNA input was found in bone samples taken from infants buried under the floors of their homes as well as from remains in a newly discovered cemetery in Ashkelon. Researchers determined Philistines from across all time periods derived most of their ancestry from the local Levantine gene pool. Individuals who lived in early Iron Age Ashkelon, in contrast, had a European-derived ancestral component that was not present in their Bronze Age predecessors.
The study further demonstrated this European-related genetic component was subsequently diluted over the next centuries by the local Levantine gene pool, suggesting intensive admixture between local and foreign populations. While the study revealed a change in the Philistines’ genetic profile over time, archaeological discoveries there show continuity in their ethnicity.
“DNA Evidence for the Origins of the Philistines,” presented by Professor Daniel Master
Because of the size of the venue, tickets only available to BASONOVA members. For more information check the website, BASONOVA
Questions? Contact us: [email protected]
Related Reading in Bible History Daily:
Illuminating the Philistines’ Origins
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