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How did the Samaritan community become an example of a population with substantial inbreeding?

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consanguinity (Left) Absence of inbreeding: horizontal lines connect mates, vertical lines connect parents with their child; (right) an inbreeding loop: horizontal bar at top of loop connects brother and sister, all other lines and bars as above

The Samaritan community is considered a classic example of a population with substantial inbreeding because they have functioned as a small, distinct group—or isolate—since the 8th century BCE.1

In genetics, high levels of inbreeding occur in small populations where members consistently marry within the group over many generations. Because the Samaritans have maintained their identity as a separate community for nearly three millennia, their members have historically married one another, leading to a high average coefficient of inbreeding (F) within the population.1

For much of their history, the community remained very small, with the population dwindling to fewer than 200 individuals by the 20th century. This limited gene pool, combined with a long-standing tradition of intracommunity marriage, has resulted in significant consanguinity. While the population has grown to about 800 individuals in recent years and men have only recently been permitted to marry women from outside the community, the group's long-term isolation remains the primary factor in their status as a highly inbred population.21