A new genetic study reveals that the Greeks of Messa Mani in Peloponnese, Greece constitute a unique genetic “island” in Europe, one of the most distinctive populations genetically, due to their geographic isolation for more than ten centuries. The findings, published today in the journal Communications Biology of the Nature group, show that many genealogical lines of the current residents of the area can be traced back in Greece to the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the Roman period.

Mesa Mani, i.e., the area south of Areopoli, with its rugged mountains, stunning coastlines, and famous stone towers, has periodically captivated prominent travelers, historians, and writers—most famously Jules Verne and Patrick Leigh Fermor. The tough character of the Maniots and their warlike spirit allowed them to maintain autonomy against various conquerors. Maniots also played a key role in the Greek Revolution of 1821.

An international research team, including scientists from the University of Oxford, Tel Aviv University, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the Areopoli Health Center, the European University Cyprus, and FamilyTreeDNA laboratories, focused their study on the ancestry of the Messa Mani population.

“This is a region of mainland Greece unlike any other. Architecturally, it has war towers in every village; the dialect is archaic. We did not know the origins of a population with so many peculiarities. So we wanted to answer some historical mysteries, as well as give a voice to traditions that are disappearing,” emphasizes to ANA-MPA the head of the study, Dr. Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou, assistant professor at Tel Aviv University, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

The researchers collected genetic material from more than 100 male residents of Messa Mani, which they analyzed using highly innovative molecular techniques from the FamilyTreeDNA laboratories, the company that contributed to isolating Beethoven’s DNA from a hair and clarifying his ancestry. The researchers then compared the DNA of Messa Mani residents with thousands of ancient DNA samples and the DNA of over 1.3 million contemporary individuals worldwide to identify any genetic affinities between Messa Mani residents and other populations.

The research results showed that Messa Mani residents constitute a unique genetic “time capsule” within mainland Greece, as most paternal genealogical lines trace back to the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the Roman period. Their genetic ancestry was not influenced by the major population movements that reshaped the demographics and genomes of Greek and other Balkan populations after the fall of Rome. Unlike many other mainland Greek populations, Messa Mani residents show minimal signs of assimilation of later populations, such as the Slavs, whose arrival in the 6th century CE drastically changed the genetic and linguistic landscape of southeastern Europe.

Moreover, their geographic and temporal distribution accurately reflects the spread of the distinctive and globally unique megalithic settlement architecture of Messa Mani.

“It has been found that for at least 1,400 years, Messa Mani residents were extremely isolated, and perhaps that is why they managed to develop and maintain customs, traditions, and architecture that do not exist anywhere else in Greece. We could say that Messa Mani residents probably descend from the same people who built the unique megalithic structures in the area,” explains Mr. Davranoglou to ANA-MPA.

(The acclaimed Messa Mani sculptor, painter, and writer Michalis Kassis, together with the head of the study, Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou. Copyright: Vinia Tsopela)

A Common Ancestor

The study revealed that more than 50% of current Messa Mani men descend from a single male ancestor who lived in the 7th century AD. This finding suggests that during the turbulent history of Messa Mani, there was a period when the local population experienced a dramatic decline, likely due to epidemics, wars, and widespread instability, after which the few survivors and their descendants remained relatively isolated in Messa Mani for centuries.

In contrast, the matrilineal ancestry tells a more complex story than the patrilineal. “While many maternal genealogical lines show the same characteristics of long-term local residence as the paternal lines,” notes the second corresponding author, Professor Alexandros Herakleidis of European University Cyprus, “others indicate limited contacts with populations of the eastern Mediterranean, the Caucasus, western Europe, and even North Africa. These genetic patterns are consistent with a strongly patriarchal society, in which men remained rooted in their place of origin, while a small number of foreign women were integrated into the local population.”

“Fertile Soil Does Not Easily Produce Heroes”

In addition to the genetic research, the scientific team studied Venetian, Ottoman, and more recent archives and conducted interviews with at least 60 elderly residents from almost every village of Messa Mani.

An important informant was the painter, writer, and sculptor Michalis Kassis, who recounted among other things: “It is no coincidence that no conqueror ever managed to establish themselves in Mani. The land was relentlessly harsh even for its own residents. In winter, our bare feet ached from the cold; in summer, the sun burned us mercilessly. Stones, sun, sea—that is Mani. And so the people became resilient and tough to survive. And if someone had a little bread, a little cheese, and a few olives, then they were truly wealthy. Fertile and soft soil does not easily produce heroes.”

Since many villages of Messa Mani were historically inhabited by a single lineage, the research team worked closely with the local community so that volunteers came from many different lineages and settlements, ensuring that the sampling was representative of the population. Sampling was done in collaboration with Dr. Anargyros Mariolis, director of the Areopoli Health Center.

The researchers then compared all oral traditions with the genetic evidence, finding that the data often converge. “Many oral traditions of common ancestry, passed down for centuries, are now genetically confirmed,” notes Athanasios Kofinákos, co-author of the study and research consultant on Maniot genealogy and history.

(Dr. Anargyros Mariolis, director of the Areopoli Health Center and member of the research team, has built strong bonds of trust with the local community of Messa Mani, which were essential for the successful conduct of the study. Copyright: A. Mariolis)

As Mr. Anargyros Mariolis characteristically describes, “This study gives voice to the stories of our ancestors. As a Messa Mani resident myself, I wish my ancestors had the chance to know that many of their oral traditions are confirmed by genetic science.”

Searching for Genetic Diseases

If funding for continued research is secured, the scientific team plans to investigate information that genetic science can provide regarding the population’s health and the search for diseases with a potential genetic basis.

As noted by Professor of Medicine at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and surgeon Theodoros Mariolis-Sapsakos, “The research team intends to engage again with the community to investigate to what extent future analyses of clinically significant genetic markers could contribute to a deeper understanding of the health of Messa Mani residents and lead to new strategies to protect and safeguard it.” Dr. Panagiota Soulioti, who conducted her rural internship at the Areopoli Health Center and contributed significantly to the sampling, adds that “the example of Messa Mani can serve as a model for similar studies in other areas of Greece, contributing both to understanding the past and identifying clinically significant genetic markers with immediate relevance to public health.”