From the ancient migrations of Paleolithic hunters to the medieval settlements of the First Bulgarian Empire - how paleogenetics unlocks the mysteries of history

Did you know that a small piece of bone from a person who lived thousands of years ago can tell us more about our history than thousands of material artifacts? Welcome to the strange world of paleogenetics, where cutting-edge DNA science meets archaeology to rewrite our understanding of human history. Paleogenetics answers questions that have puzzled historians for centuries: Which ancient peoples were our ancestors? How did the earliest human groups move across continents? Have some ancient populations survived to the present day? Through paleogenetics, we have already made astonishing discoveries. For example, we now know that Neolithic farmers from the Mesopotamian and Anatolian regions did not just exchange knowledge with the ancient Balkan societies—they actually settled here in the Balkans 7,000 years ago and became our ancestors, bringing their genes along with their agricultural way of life. But what other secrets can the DNA of our ancestors reveal about the people who once lived on our lands? Who were the Thracians? And the Proto-Bulgarians? When did the Slavs arrive in the Balkans, and from where? How does ancient DNA, extracted from human bones, using information technology help archaeologists and historians reconstruct a clear picture of the past where historical records and material artifacts are lacking? On Tuesday, December 10, at 6:00 PM, in the ‘Georgi Baev’ hall at the KC ‘Marine Casino,’ every history enthusiast will get answers to these questions directly from Svetoslav Stamov from Burgas, a member of the Institute of Balkan Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, participant in a joint project between the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the ‘D. Reich’ Archaeogenetics Laboratory at Harvard University. He will tell us how paleogenetics is revolutionizing our understanding of Bulgarian and Balkan history. Learn how this powerful tool, paleogenomics, helps us uncover the true history of our origins, from ancient migrations of Paleolithic hunters to the medieval settlements of the First Bulgarian Empire. The public lecture with a presentation is organized by the Regional Historical Museum – Burgas and the Municipality of Burgas.

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