Scientists have uncovered genetic traces of a previously unknown group of ancient hunter-gatherers who lived approximately 6,000 years ago near the region where North and South America converge.
The discovery, made through DNA analysis of ancient remains found in the high plateaus of present-day Bogotá, Colombia, sheds new light on the complex patterns of human migration across the Americas. Researchers have long known that humans entered the Americas via the Bering land bridge, gradually dispersing southward. However, the newly identified population appears to represent a distinct lineage, not closely related to known ancient Native American groups from either North or South America.
The findings were published on Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
“This is unexpected,” said archaeologist Andre Luiz Campelo dos Santos of Florida Atlantic University, who was not involved in the study. “Until now, we didn’t believe there was any other lineage that might appear in South America.”
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Remarkably, this ancient group seems to have vanished within 4,000 years, replaced by a genetically distinct population. The reasons for their disappearance remain uncertain. Scientists are now working to determine whether the group was absorbed into another, larger population or displaced entirely.
Further genetic research across South America may help clarify whether this lineage truly disappeared or left descendants whose traces have yet to be identified, Campelo dos Santos added.
Understanding the genes of these early inhabitants is crucial to building a fuller picture of the continent’s human history. Since ancient populations would have passed through this corridor while migrating south, the region around Bogotá is considered a key waypoint.
“The area is the gateway to the South American continent,” said study co-author Andrea Casas-Vargas of the National University of Colombia.
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