Latest news with #ClassicMaya
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Maya Civilization Collapsed 1,200 Years Ago. But Their Genes Never Stopped Spreading.
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: A new study uses genome analysis to show the decline, not erasure, of the ancient Maya civilization. Researchers compared the genomes of seven skeletons to previously sequenced sets from across Siberia and the Americas, and showed strong genetic continuity from ancient to contemporary Maya people. Time-stamped genomes revealed a population increase peaking around 730 A.D. (likely thanks to the emergence of maize agriculture), and a subsequent decline in 750 A.D. (directly coinciding with the collapse of Maya civilization). The ancient Maya were a group of Mesoamerican Indigenous people who developed one of the most advanced societies in history, which such achievements as a complex written language and amazingly accurate calendar systems. One of the thriving capitals of Maya civilization was Copán—a city in modern-day Honduras that acted as a travel hub between Central and South America. A new study analyzing skeletons buried near Copán reveals the collapse, but not total erasure, of the Maya civilization over 1,200 years ago. 'Our findings indicate a decline in population size,' Shigeki Nakagome, a co-author of the study, told Live Science, that 'aligns with a scenario proposed by archaeologists in which the population decreased but did not become entirely extinct.' Published on May 28 in the journal Current Biology, the study included analysis of the genomes of seven individuals from the Classic Maya period—or the period in which Maya civilization experienced destabilization and eventual collapse—to investigate the hypothesis that Copán was ruled by outsiders. Inscriptions previously found in Copán suggest the first ruler of the dynasty, K'inich Yax K'uk' Mo', was an outsider who assumed power in 426 B.C. The theory suggests that a network of Maya elites migrated to the region and married with the local, non-Maya population, creating immense social change. Previous studies analyzing tooth enamel support the migration hypothesis. Researchers found that each of the seven individuals had different marriage lineages. Two of the people—one a possible member of the ruling dynasty, and the other a victim of human sacrifice—belonged to the same Y-chromosome haplogroup. A haplogroup is a population that has the same genetic markers passed down by a common ancestor. However (though this seems remarkable), it doesn't mean that the two individuals were closely related. 'Even though the dynastic ruler and the sacrificed individual share the same Y-chromosome haplogroup,' Nakagome told Live Science, 'we did not find any kinship.' On top of comparing the individuals' genomes to each other, researchers also compared the sets with previously sequenced genomes from across the Americas and Siberia. The scientists found strong evidence of genetic continuity between ancient and modern Maya people, suggesting 'the enduring persistence of local ancestry in the Maya region,' according to the study. Researchers also found an influx of people with ancestry from highland Mexican populations extant during the early to mid-Classic period. These outsiders could have been part of the dynasty of Copán. Finally, researchers used time-stamped genomes to estimate population sizes at different points in time. The study determined that Maya society saw a sharp increase in population that peaked around 730 A.D. at 19,000 people. According to researchers, the spike likely occurred thanks to the emergence of maize agriculture. Researchers saw a subsequent decline in population around 750 A.D., 'coinciding with the onset of the collapse of Classic Maya civilization,' according to the paper. The scientists on the study juggled many questions while conducting their research, which ultimately furthers our understanding of both the ancient and contemporary Maya people. '[O]ur research offers a new perspective, suggesting the enduring persistence of local ancestry in the Maya region,' the researchers wrote, 'while also highlighting the broader mobility beyond the conventional boundaries of the Maya territory.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Genomes from ancient Maya people reveal collapse of population and civilization 1,200 years ago
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Skeletons buried near the ancient Maya city of Copán have revealed new clues about the collapse, but not total decimation, of the Maya civilization. A study of the genomes of seven people from the Classic Maya period (A.D. 250 to 900) of Copán in what is now western Honduras showed that the population dramatically shrank around 1,200 years ago. "Our findings indicate a decline in population size" among the Maya, study co-author Shigeki Nakagome, an assistant professor of genomic medicine at Trinity College Dublin, told Live Science in an email, which "aligns with a scenario proposed by archaeologists in which the population decreased but did not become entirely extinct." Nakagome and colleagues published their findings Wednesday (May 28) in the journal Current Biology. In their study, the researchers investigated the hypothesis that outsiders assumed power at Copán in the late 420s and explored how interactions between locals and non-locals created social and cultural change at this important Maya center. Copán was a major capital located at the extreme southeast of the Classic Maya civilization, functioning as a kind of crossroads between Central and South America. The royal dynasty that ruled for four centuries was established at Copán in A.D. 426 by a man known as K'inich Yax K'uk' Mo', who was an outsider according to inscriptions. Previous genomic and isotopic analyses of skeletons from other Maya sites have suggested that migration and gene flow were common, but the nature of that gene mixing at Copán had never before been investigated. Based on their sequencing of genomes of seven people buried at Copán, the researchers discovered that the people all had different maternal lineages. Two males, however, belonged to the same Y-chromosome lineage and were buried together: one male in a wealthy burial was a possible dynastic ruler and the other male was a potential sacrifice. But the men were not closely related. "Even though the dynastic ruler and the sacrificed individual share the same Y-chromosome haplogroup," Nakagome said, "we did not find any kinship." The lineage the men share is common among present-day Indigenous American populations, he said. Related: Secret of ancient Maya blue pigment revealed from cracks and clues on a dozen bowls from Chichén Itzá By comparing the seven ancient genomes to previously sequenced genomes across Siberia and the Americas, the researchers found strong evidence of genetic continuity in the Maya region from the Late Archaic period, roughly 3700 B.C. to 1000 B.C., to the present day. These genetic data suggest "the enduring persistence of local ancestry in the Maya region," the researchers wrote in the study. They also found that during the Classic Maya period, there was an influx of people with highland Mexican ancestry, possibly from other Maya sites such as Chichén Itzá. These "outsiders" — perhaps part of the ruling dynasty of Copán — mixed with the locals, creating a population with two main ancestries. RELATED STORIES —'Trash' found deep inside a Mexican cave turns out to be 500-year-old artifacts from a little-known culture —'Stunning' discovery reveals how the Maya rose up 4,000 years ago —Mysterious Maya underground structure unearthed in Mexico Delving further into the genomic data of the seven individuals, the researchers were able to estimate the size of the Maya population at specific points in time. According to their model, "the population in the Maya region appears to have experienced significant growth in effective size, reaching approximately 19,000 [people]" around A.D. 730, they wrote. The increase may be related to the advent of maize agriculture, which could have supported a larger population. Then, the population size began to decline around A.D. 750, "coinciding with the onset of the collapse of Classic Maya civilization," they wrote. Although the population dramatically dwindled with the collapse of the Maya political system, the researchers ultimately found support in their analysis for population persistence through time. "The genetic continuity observed in our study supports the idea that the population was not replaced by another group after the collapse." The genomes of the more than 7 million present-day Maya are closely related to the genomes of ancient Maya.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Science
- Irish Independent
Genetic clues to the rise of the Mayan civilisation uncovered by TCD geneticist
That's according to new research by a Trinity College Dublin (TCD) geneticist reported today in the journal Current Biology. Scientists previously found that present day Maya people carry genes from both the traditional local Maya ancestors and Mexican highlanders. 'What makes our findings significant is that we identified this gene flow starting around the beginning of the Classic period,' said Shigeki Nakagome, Ussher Assistant Professor in Genomic Medicine, School of Medicine, TCD. The Classic period of Mayan civilisation - when it was at its peak - scholars say was from around 250 AD to 950 AD, after which it declined. 'Archaeological evidence has long suggested that a possible connection between the Classic Maya states and regions in highland Mexico,' said professor Shigeki. 'This suggests that interaction between these regions may have played a role in the rise of Classic Maya civilisation.' The civilisation flourished primarily in present-day southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. At its height, the Mayans built cities which were huge by the standard of the time, made up of monumental stone structures, and pyramid temples. They became renowned for a sophisticated writing system, advances in mathematics and astronomy, and skill in crafts like sculpture and pottery. 'Despite extensive archaeological research, many aspects of their ancestry and population history remain poorly understood,' said Prof Nakagome. The TCD researchers used ancient genomics to analyse DNA from seven people who lived in Copán in Honduras during the Classic Mayan period. Ancient genomics is the study of genomes (a genome being the entire DNA in a single cell) recovered from the bones or teeth of ancient people. This enabled them to investigate the genetic ancestry of these individuals. 'We focused on the petrous portion of the temporal bone, a dense part of the skull known for its exceptional DNA preservation.' This area of bone is known to yield higher quantities of ancient DNA compared to other parts of the human skeleton. However, Nakagome and his team found that studying these ancient DNA samples was far more difficult than investigating modern DNA. 'After death, DNA begins to degrade and fragment due to environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and microbial activity. 'As a result, ancient DNA is often highly fragmented, chemically modified and present in very low quantities, requiring specialised techniques and strict contamination controls to recover and analyse it accurately.' The results indicated that there was an influx of people from Highland Mexico into the Mayan lowland areas during the early to middle Classic period. 'This shows that the rise of the Classic Maya civilisation involved movement and interaction with people possibly from outside the Maya region.' The research also sheds some light on the fall of the Mayan people, beginning around 090 AD, which remains a famous and enduring scientific mystery. 'As the Mayan civilisation began to collapse near the of the classic period, we saw signs of a population decline.' 'This genetic evidence helps support the idea that major social and environmental changes had real demographic consequences.' The TCD researchers now plan to study more DNA from other ancient skeletal remains of people across a variety of locations in the Mayan world. This data will be compared to the archaeological and environmental historical record to gain further insights into the rise and fall of the Mayans.
