Paleogenomics retraces the ancient population history of Southwestern East Asia for the past 12 000 years

AI interpretationAI-generated

Ancient DNA reveals 12,000 years of complex population history in Guizhou, southwestern East Asia.

This study presents the first ancient genomes from Guizhou, including five individuals older than 10,000 years. It shows that Paleolithic people in southwestern East Asia carried a mix of basal East Asian ancestry (Xingyi_EN) and northern East Asian ancestry, with varied distribution. By the Bronze Age, this basal ancestry disappeared. From 1,200 years ago, genetic interactions between Guizhou and Guangxi increased, following language-related patterns.

• Paleolithic populations in southwestern East Asia had heterogeneous mixtures of basal East Asian (Xingyi_EN) and northern East Asian ancestries.
• The basal East Asian ancestry became undetectable in the region by the Bronze Age.
• From 1,200 years ago, genetic interactions between Guizhou and Guangxi intensified and followed language-specific patterns.

Sample interpretation

The dataset includes 36 ancient individuals from Guizhou, spanning the Neolithic to Ming dynasty. Y-chromosome haplogroups are dominated by O lineages (e.g., O-F26366, O-F15848), with minor D and C. Mitochondrial DNA is diverse, with B5a1c most frequent, followed by F1-a, B4a5, M74a, M71, and F2b1. These genetic profiles reflect long-term continuity and interactions in the region.

For genealogy enthusiasts

For ancestry enthusiasts, this study highlights Guizhou as a key region for understanding ancient human migrations in East Asia. It shows that basal East Asian ancestry once present in the Paleolithic later vanished, and that recent genetic interactions follow linguistic boundaries, offering a deeper context for interpreting your own DNA results.