{"id":168520,"date":"2025-06-08T20:56:24","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T20:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/168520\/"},"modified":"2025-06-08T20:56:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T20:56:24","slug":"how-4000-years-ago-a-human-lineage-disappeared-without-leaving-any-genetic-trace-in-colombia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/168520\/","title":{"rendered":"How 4,000 Years Ago, a Human Lineage Disappeared Without Leaving Any Genetic Trace in Colombia"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the high plains of the Altiplano cundiboyacense<\/strong>, just north of Bogot\u00e1<\/strong>, a forgotten chapter of South America\u2019s past has recently been uncovered. For years, this region remained a genetic \u201cwhite spot<\/strong>\u201d in the larger narrative of South American prehistory. Now, an innovative study has filled in this gap, revealing that a distinct population of hunter-gatherers<\/strong> lived in these rugged plains for thousands of years \u2014 only to vanish without a trace.<\/p>\n

New Genetic Evidence Sheds Light on Colombia\u2019s Early Inhabitants<\/p>\n

The study, led by researchers from the University of T\u00fcbingen<\/strong>, the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment<\/strong> in Germany, and Colombia\u2019s National University<\/strong>, analyzed 21 ancient genomes<\/strong> <\/a>extracted from bones and teeth found at five archaeological sites across Colombia. The findings, published in Science Advances<\/a> on May 28, 2025, provide the first ever genetic data<\/strong> on Colombia\u2019s early inhabitants, offering an unprecedented view into the region\u2019s distant past.<\/p>\n

The genetic material<\/strong>, spanning nearly 6,000 years, covers a period from the initial waves of human settlement<\/strong> in South America until just before the arrival of the Spanish<\/strong>. The earliest samples came from Checua<\/strong>, an archaeological site situated about 3,000 meters above sea level, north of Bogot\u00e1. The genomes of these early hunter-gatherers<\/a><\/strong> revealed a previously unknown genetic lineage that traces back to the very first waves of migration into South America.<\/p>\n

\"Geographic(A<\/strong>) Map of the Isthmus of Panama (thereafter isthmus) and northwestern South America indicating the geographic location of modern-day Indigenous populations from Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica (gray triangles), ancient Colombians (red circles), Ceramic-age Venezuelans and ancient Panamanians (light blue circles). (B<\/strong>) Timeline of the generated ancient genomes from the Altiplano and associated archaeologically defined periods. Credit: Science Advances<\/p>\n

A Complete Genetic Replacement<\/p>\n

What startled the researchers most, however, was the complete disappearance of this lineage<\/a> in the region. By around 2000 BCE<\/strong>, genetic traces from these early hunter-gatherers \u2014 known to researchers as the Herrera<\/strong> and Muisca<\/strong> periods \u2014 were no longer found in the region. Instead, the individuals studied were genetically closer to populations from Panama<\/strong> and Venezuela<\/strong>, marking a complete shift in the genetic landscape.<\/p>\n

Kim-Louise Krettek<\/strong>, the study\u2019s lead author, explained that \u201cwe did not find any descendants of these first hunter-gatherers in the high plains of Colombia; their genes were not passed on.\u201d This change coincided with the introduction of pottery<\/strong>, maize<\/strong> agriculture, and new social structures, which researchers believe were brought by migrating groups from the north. These new populations, equipped with different cultural practices and technologies, replaced the region\u2019s original inhabitants entirely.<\/p>\n

The shift in genetics appears to be linked to the arrival of migrants from Central America<\/strong>, bringing with them new ways of life \u2014 and a different genetic heritage. As Krettek<\/strong> emphasized, the transformation points to \u201ca complete replacement of the population around Bogot\u00e1.\u201d<\/p>\n

Genetic Legacy: The Chibchan Connection<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the study also explored the genetic connections between ancient and modern populations. Despite the genetic upheaval in the region, the modern indigenous<\/strong> populations<\/strong> of Colombia do not share the closest genetic ties with these northern migrants. Instead, it is the speakers of Chibchan<\/strong> languages, found in modern-day Panama and Costa Rica, who exhibit a strong genetic affinity with these ancient populations.<\/p>\n

This raises intriguing questions about the ebb and flow of genetic influences over time. It suggests that the genetic imprint of the Chibchan peoples, which is less visible in today\u2019s Colombian populations, gradually faded due to subsequent migrations that altered the region\u2019s genetic<\/strong> makeup. The study also underscores the complexity of identity and ancestry, with researchers noting that the \u201cgenetic disposition should not be equated with cultural identity.\u201d As Cosimo Posth<\/strong>, one of the study\u2019s co-authors, cautioned, the relationship between genetics and cultural identity is far more intricate than it may first appear.<\/p>\n

This research, conducted in collaboration with the Muisca<\/strong> indigenous community \u2014 who speak a language within the Chibchan family, extinct since the 18th century \u2014 paints a more fluid and complex picture of Colombia\u2019s past than previously imagined. It highlights the significant role of migration<\/strong> and cultural change in shaping the genetic history of South America<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the high plains of the Altiplano cundiboyacense, just north of Bogot\u00e1, a forgotten chapter of South America\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":168521,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3846],"tags":[267,70,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-168520","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-genetics","8":"tag-genetics","9":"tag-science","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114649745475633683","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168520"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168520\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/168521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=168520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}