Sicilian populations have been genetically diverse for many centuries, and they remained that way even through major regime changes and religious transitions, according to a study published June 24, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One by Aurore Monnereau of the University of York, UK and colleagues.
Medieval Sicily was a central hub of trade and conflict and the site of several major political and religious transitions between the 5th and 15th century CE. The effects of these events on the genetic makeup of Sicilian populations, and how they influenced the ancestry of modern populations, are unclear.
In this study, Monnereau and colleagues analyzed DNA from 111 individuals from 19 archaeological sites across Sicily dating from the Roman Age to the Late Middle Age. The results reveal a complex demographic history, contrary to the simple narrative of large-scale genetic replacements with each political shift. Individuals of North African descent were identified much earlier than the beginning of the Islamic period, suggesting early migrations across the Mediterranean, and both Islamic and Christian burials were not genetically homogenous but included individuals of diverse ancestry, a pattern which remained constant across multiple centuries. The Islamic period saw the first long-distance migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and northern Europe, and a more modern European demographic became established by the end of the medieval period.
Overall, these results demonstrate that Sicily remained an important cultural and genetic melting pot throughout the Middle Ages, laying the foundations of modern Sicilian populations. The authors note that a more refined understanding of these population shifts will require data from additional Mediterranean archaeological sites and additional methods such as stable isotope analysis.
Dr. Aurore Monnereau adds: "Historical records often leave the experiences of everyday people in the shadows, capturing major events of the Middle Ages through the lens of their authors. Our study uses ancient DNA to restore those voices, and by combining aDNA with written and archaeological sources reveals that Sicily was a central pivot in the interconnected medieval world."
"I have a deep affection for Sicily, a land of light and legend, and I have dedicated my PhD work to its people. By studying ancient DNA, we can help to restore the voices of those who have been forgotten by history, while also improving our understanding of the past by complementing historical and archaeological sources."
"I am deeply passionate about ancient DNA because it allows us to rediscover the lives of people's history and give back their voices. By combining it with historical and archaeological sources, we gain a new lens on the past, reminding us how much there is still to learn. Our study reveals that Sicily was a central crossroad in the medieval world."
Dr. Nathan Wales adds: "It is so exciting to see how the DNA from these archaeological individuals teaches us more about the medieval period. Contrary to some past ideas, we can see this shouldn't be considered the "Dark Ages", but rather a dynamic period with interactions and distant connections."
"Ancient DNA research is often said to give a window into the past, and again this project shows just how much can be learned by exploring the genetic history of different regions and periods. Written accounts are of course invaluable to understand the past, but archaeology provides complementary information to test our assumptions and understand the people that are overlooked in history books."
Professor Martin Carver adds: "The project entitled Sicily in Transition - The Archaeology of Regime Change explored the lives and times of those buried in 19 early medieval cemeteries using multi-proxy methods. Paramount among these methods was analysis with aDNA which threw light on these 'people without history' showing Christians and Muslims to have largely lived in prosperous multi-faith societies until the early thirteenth century, when Sicily became part of the Holy Roman Empire and Muslims were deported."
In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS One: https://plos.io/4ou5tiE
Citation: Monnereau A, Orecchioni P, Hamilton D, Green EJ, Noble I, Hagan R, et al. (2026) Genetic histories of individuals from multi-faith medieval Sicily. PLoS One 21(6): e0350298. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0350298
Author countries: UK, Italy, Denmark.
Funding: This work was made possible through funding from the European Research Council (ERC), awarded under the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 693600, 'The Archaeology Of Regime Change: Sicily In Transition' (SICTRANSIT)).
