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4w ago

Picuris Pueblo DNA Study Confirms Ancestral Link to Chaco Canyon

Research published in Nature validates genetic ties between modern Picuris Pueblo members and ancient Pueblo Bonito inhabitants under tribe-led ethical protocols.

Tourists view Pueblo Bonito, one of a series of Puebloan structures in Chaco Culture National Historical Park believed to have been used as ceremonial as well as administrative and trading centers and built over multiple decades between the 9th and 12 centuries, in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, U.S. October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dan Grebler/File Photo
Tourists view Pueblo Bonito, one of a series of Puebloan structures in Chaco Culture National Historical Park believed to have been used as ceremonial as well as administrative and trading centers and built over multiple decades between the 9th and 12 centuries, in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, U.S. October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dan Grebler/File Photo
Tourists view Pueblo Bonito, one of a series of Puebloan structures in Chaco Culture National Historical Park believed to have been used as ceremonial as well as administrative and trading centers and built over multiple decades between the 9th and 12 centuries, in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, U.S. October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dan Grebler/File Photo
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Overview

  • A new study confirms a close genetic relationship between modern Picuris Pueblo members and the ancient inhabitants of Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon.
  • The research, published on April 30, 2025, in Nature, was conducted under the oversight of the Picuris Pueblo tribe, ensuring ethical collaboration and data governance.
  • The study analyzed DNA from 13 living Picuris Pueblo members, remains from the tribe’s site dating back 500–1,500 years, and ancient samples from Pueblo Bonito.
  • Picuris Pueblo leaders initiated the study to address past ethical oversights and support ongoing preservation efforts for Chaco Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • Researchers emphasized that the findings do not challenge other tribes' ancestral connections to Chaco Canyon, as the study did not analyze modern DNA from other Pueblo communities.