Ancient human microbiomes

Ancient human microbiomes provide critical scientific insights into past diets, behaviors, migrations, and health. The expansion of this discipline over the last decade can be attributed to advancements in methodologies associated with ancient DNA and other biomolecular techniques. While ancient microbiomes have proven useful for addressing a plethora of biological, anthropological, and medical questions, there remain a number of critical challenges which must be addressed. Despite these challenges, the flourishing of diverse methodologies and theoretical frameworks promises a bright future in which research into ancient human microbiomes can help resolve previously unanswerable questions.