Archaeologists find 6,000-year-old skeletons from Colombia with ancient DNA which could rewrite human history
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have found 6,000-year-old skeletons from Colombia with ancient DNA that could rewrite human history.
The incredible remains belonging to hunter-gatherers at the ancient preceramic site of Checua don't have DNA that matches any known Indigenous population in the region today.
3
3
3
Their bombshell genetic signature has revealed a distinct - and extinct - lineage.
This could have descended all the way from the earliest humans to reach South America.
This lineage diverged early on and remained genetically isolated for thousands of years.
Researchers have managed to reconstruct a rare genetic timeline by anaylysing DNA from 21 people who lived in the Bogota Altiplano between roughly 6,000 to 500 years ago.
Extracted from bones and teeth, the DNA samples showed that the oldest people at Checua carried a distinctive ancestral signature.
This has completely disappeared from the modern gene pool.
Kim-Louise Krettek, lead author and a PhD student at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution in Germany said: "This area is key to understanding how the Americas were populated.
"It was the land bridge between North and South America and the meeting point of three major cultural regions: Mesoamerica, Amazonia, and the Andes."
Early people weren't related to other ancient groups in South America genetically.
They also didn't share ancestry with early North American populations.
Catholics flock to see preserved body of 'God's Influencer' teen entombed in glass as he's made 'First Millennial Saint'
Krettek added: "Our results show that the Checua individuals derive from the earliest population that spread and differentiated across South America very rapidly.
"We couldn't find descendants of these early hunter-gatherers of the Colombian high plains, the genes were not passed on.
"That means in the area around Bogotá there was a complete exchange of the population."
Roughly a whopping 2,000 years ago, the genetic landscape of the Bogota highlands shifted.
The distinctive lineage discovered in the earliest Checua remains had vanished and replaced by a new population.
Their DNA bear close similarity to the ancient Panamanians and modern Chibchan-speaking groups in Costa Rica and Panama.
Co-author and researcher at Universidad Nacional de Colombia Andrea Casas-Vargas explained how the bizarre disappearance of the original population's genetic traces is rare in South America.
She said: "Up to now, strong genetic continuity has been observed in the population of the Andes and the southern cone of South America over long time periods and cultural changes."
As new arrivals came to the Bogota highlands, the population changed significantly as time went on.
But the shift didn't come with any signs of war or invasion, nor violence, according to the archeologists.
The change may have just occurred gradually through migration, cultural exchange, or intermarriage.
Therefore, the Checua people's unique DNA faded - and eventually vanished.
The unbelievable discovery is the first example of Colombia looking at ancient DNA - but experts say it's just the beginning.
Surrounding regions like western Columbia, Venezuela, and Ecuador have never received genetical analysation.
Krettek said: "Ancient DNA from those areas will be crucial in understanding how humans migrated into South America."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Archaeologists find 6,000-year-old skeletons from Colombia with ancient DNA which could rewrite human history
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have found 6,000-year-old skeletons from Colombia with ancient DNA that could rewrite human history. The incredible remains belonging to hunter-gatherers at the ancient preceramic site of Checua don't have DNA that matches any known Indigenous population in the region today. 3 3 3 Their bombshell genetic signature has revealed a distinct - and extinct - lineage. This could have descended all the way from the earliest humans to reach South America. This lineage diverged early on and remained genetically isolated for thousands of years. Researchers have managed to reconstruct a rare genetic timeline by anaylysing DNA from 21 people who lived in the Bogota Altiplano between roughly 6,000 to 500 years ago. Extracted from bones and teeth, the DNA samples showed that the oldest people at Checua carried a distinctive ancestral signature. This has completely disappeared from the modern gene pool. Kim-Louise Krettek, lead author and a PhD student at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution in Germany said: "This area is key to understanding how the Americas were populated. "It was the land bridge between North and South America and the meeting point of three major cultural regions: Mesoamerica, Amazonia, and the Andes." Early people weren't related to other ancient groups in South America genetically. They also didn't share ancestry with early North American populations. Catholics flock to see preserved body of 'God's Influencer' teen entombed in glass as he's made 'First Millennial Saint' Krettek added: "Our results show that the Checua individuals derive from the earliest population that spread and differentiated across South America very rapidly. "We couldn't find descendants of these early hunter-gatherers of the Colombian high plains, the genes were not passed on. "That means in the area around Bogotá there was a complete exchange of the population." Roughly a whopping 2,000 years ago, the genetic landscape of the Bogota highlands shifted. The distinctive lineage discovered in the earliest Checua remains had vanished and replaced by a new population. Their DNA bear close similarity to the ancient Panamanians and modern Chibchan-speaking groups in Costa Rica and Panama. Co-author and researcher at Universidad Nacional de Colombia Andrea Casas-Vargas explained how the bizarre disappearance of the original population's genetic traces is rare in South America. She said: "Up to now, strong genetic continuity has been observed in the population of the Andes and the southern cone of South America over long time periods and cultural changes." As new arrivals came to the Bogota highlands, the population changed significantly as time went on. But the shift didn't come with any signs of war or invasion, nor violence, according to the archeologists. The change may have just occurred gradually through migration, cultural exchange, or intermarriage. Therefore, the Checua people's unique DNA faded - and eventually vanished. The unbelievable discovery is the first example of Colombia looking at ancient DNA - but experts say it's just the beginning. Surrounding regions like western Columbia, Venezuela, and Ecuador have never received genetical analysation. Krettek said: "Ancient DNA from those areas will be crucial in understanding how humans migrated into South America."
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mysterious 6,000-year-old skeletons with never-before-seen DNA rewrites human history
Archaeologists have uncovered 6,000-year-old skeletons in Colombia that belonged to a mysterious group of people that could rewrite human history. The remains, discovered at the ancient preceramic site of Checua near Bogotá, were of hunter-gatherers whose DNA does not match that of any known Indigenous population in the region today. Instead, their genetic signature reveals a distinct and now-extinct lineage that may have descended from the earliest humans to reach South America, one that diverged early and remained genetically isolated for thousands of years. By analyzing ancient DNA from 21 individuals who lived in the Bogotá Altiplano between 6,000 and 500 years ago, researchers reconstructed a rare genetic timeline spanning nearly six millennia. The DNA samples, extracted from bones and teeth, show that the oldest individuals at Checua carried a unique ancestral signature that has completely vanished from the modern gene pool. Their lineage didn't simply blend into others, but it disappeared entirely. 'This area is key to understanding how the Americas were populated,' said Kim-Louise Krettek, lead author and a Ph.D. student at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution in Germany. 'It was the land bridge between North and South America and the meeting point of three major cultural regions: Mesoamerica, Amazonia, and the Andes.' Genetically, these early people were not related to other ancient groups in South America, such as those found in Chile or Brazil, nor did they share ancestry with early North American populations, including those from California's Channel Islands. The study also offers new insights into the so-called Isthmo-Colombian area, a cultural and genetic transition zone that stretches from Honduras through Panama and into the northern Andes of Colombia. 'Our results show that the Checua individuals derive from the earliest population that spread and differentiated across South America very rapidly,' explained Kim-Louise Krettek, the study's first author and a Ph.D. student at the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution in Germany. 'We couldn't find descendants of these early hunter-gatherers of the Colombian high plains, the genes were not passed on. 'That means in the area around Bogotá there was a complete exchange of the population.' Around 2,000 years ago, the genetic landscape of the Bogotá highlands changed dramatically. The unique lineage found in the earliest Checua remains disappeared, replaced by a new population with DNA closely resembling that of ancient Panamanians and modern Chibchan-speaking groups in Costa Rica and Panama. Andrea Casas-Vargas, co-author and researcher at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, said genetic evidence suggests the culture that followed in the Altiplano arrived with migrants from Central America. Along with technological advances like ceramics, these migrants likely introduced the Chibchan languages to what is now Colombia. 'Branches of this language family are still spoken in Central America today,' Casas-Vargas said. She also noted that the complete disappearance of the original population's genetic traces is rare in South America. 'Up to now, strong genetic continuity has been observed in the population of the Andes and the southern cone of South America over long time periods and cultural changes,' she said. These new arrivals are connected to Central America and show that the population of the Bogotá highlands changed significantly over time. They brought with them the Herrera tradition, a culture known for its pottery and early farming. Their descendants helped shape the Muisca civilization, which dominated the region until the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. But the shift didn't come with signs of war or invasion. Archaeologists found no evidence of violence. Instead, the change may have come gradually through migration, cultural exchange, or intermarriage. Over time, the Checua people's unique DNA faded, diluted and eventually erased. Scientists analyzed both maternal DNA and broader markers to trace ancestry. While Checua males carried a common Native American Y-DNA signature (Q1b1a), the rest of their genetic profile showed deep isolation and no link to later populations. Later groups who lived on the plateau had stronger ties to Venezuela and Central America, suggesting the region eventually became part of a larger network stretching across the northern part of the continent. Even though Chibchan languages are still spoken in Costa Rica, Panama, and northern Colombia, today's Indigenous Colombians are not directly descended from the Checua or even from the early Chibchan-linked Herrera people. Professor Cosimo Posth emphasized the importance of distinguishing genetics from culture: 'Questions about history and origins touch upon a sensitive area of the self-perception and identity of the Indigenous population. 'The genetic disposition must not be viewed as equal to cultural identity.' He added that the research team engaged with the Guardia Indígena Muisca, the living descendants of the Muisca culture in the high plains of Bogotá, to respect and incorporate community-based knowledge. 'As scientists addressing questions relevant to the Indigenous communities in Colombia, we respect and value the wealth of community-based knowledge.' This research marks Colombia's first look at ancient DNA, and scientists believe it's just the beginning. Many surrounding regions like western Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador have never been genetically analyzed. They could hold more clues about the waves of people who helped shape the continent. Scientists say this is just the beginning. Since this marks Colombia's first ancient genomic dataset, many unsampled and potentially unknown populations may still lie hidden beneath the soil. 'Ancient DNA from those areas will be crucial in understanding how humans migrated into South America,' Krettek said.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Grim ‘cone-headed' skull that was BASHED IN 6,200 years ago found among mass grave as experts probe brutal death
SCIENTISTS have uncovered a mass grave dating back 6,200 years - and one of the dead met their end in a particularly grim way. A woman's head appears to have been brutally bashed in by a broad-edged object. 2 2 Experts noticed a very prominent triangular fracture on the left side of the head. But they're stumped about whether it was a deliberate act of murder or a tragic accident. The skeleton was part of a major haul unearthed in Iran. Archaeologists also spotted something strange about the woman's head shape too. The skull is cone-shaped which suggests it was deliberately modified when she was a child in a process known as cranial bandaging. This is where fabric is wrapped around the head tightly around the skull of young ones when it's much softer. Others with the same type of skull were buried alongside the woman. Researchers studying the remains say the skull in question would have been weaker at withstanding such a harsh blow to the head. However, the strike was so tough that it still would have killed her even if she had an unmodified skull. "It should be noted that the blow was so severe that it would have fractured a normal, unmodified skull as well," Professor Mahdi Alirezazadeh, from Tarbiat Modares University in Iran, told LiveScience. Grave of decapitated 'vampire' discovered in Knights Templar fortress "So we cannot attribute cranial fractures solely to modified skulls." He continued: "We know this woman experienced the fracture in the final moments of her life, but we don't have any direct evidence to say that someone intentionally struck her." Their research was published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.
