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Ancient DNA Reveals Lost 6,000-Year-Old Hunter-Gatherers on Colombia’s Altiplano

The study shows the original settlers were entirely replaced by Central American migrants who introduced new technologies and Chibchan languages about 2,000 years ago.

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6,000 Years Ago, A Mysterious Human Population Entered South America – Then Vanished Without A Trace
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Overview

  • Genomic data from 21 individuals across five archaeological sites on the Bogotá plateau span nearly 6,000 years of pre-Hispanic history
  • Researchers identified a previously unknown hunter-gatherer population living around 6,000 years ago whose DNA vanishes from local genomes by about 2,000 years ago
  • A second migration from Central America brought ceramics, maize farming and Chibchan languages, marking a full demographic turnover on the Altiplano
  • This complete genetic replacement contrasts with the continuity seen elsewhere in South America and suggests that cultural innovations spread through migration rather than gradual diffusion
  • The team worked with the Guardia Indígena Muisca to honor Indigenous knowledge, stressed that genetic ancestry does not define cultural identity and plans further ancient DNA surveys in neighboring regions