Palaeo-Eskimo genetic ancestry and the peopling of Chukotka and North America

PRJEB30575 Original Paper / DOI2019-06-0548 samples (study)

AI interpretationAI-generated

Ancient DNA reveals how Palaeo-Eskimos shaped Arctic populations.

This study analyzed genomes from 48 ancient individuals across Chukotka, Siberia, the Aleutians, Alaska, and the Canadian Arctic. It shows that ancestry related to Palaeo-Eskimos is widespread among speakers of Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut languages. The authors propose that Na-Dene peoples, Aleuts, Yup'ik, and Inuit all trace part of their ancestry to a single Palaeo-Eskimo-related Siberian source, clarifying a complex Holocene peopling history.

Palaeo-Eskimo-related ancestry is ubiquitous among Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut speakers.
Na-Dene, Aleut, Yup'ik, and Inuit share ancestry from one Palaeo-Eskimo-related Siberian source.
The study provides a comprehensive model for Holocene peopling of Chukotka and North America.

Sample interpretation

The 48 ancient genomes come from sites like Mos100 (23) and Mos108A (10), with cultures including Old Bering Sea (21), Neo-Aleut (7), Ust'-Belaya (7), and Paleo-Aleut (4). Y-chromosome lineages are mostly Q subclades (e.g., Q-A15247, Q-Z36017), while mitochondrial DNA is dominated by D2a1a (10), A2a (8), A2b1 (5), and D4b1a2a1 (5), reflecting typical Arctic maternal lineages.

For genealogy enthusiasts

For ancestry enthusiasts, this means Palaeo-Eskimo roots are not limited to a few groups but are woven into many Arctic and Subarctic populations. If you have Na-Dene or Eskimo-Aleut heritage, your deep ancestry likely includes this ancient Siberian-related component.

Abstract

Much of the American Arctic was first settled 5,000 years ago, by groups of people known as Palaeo-Eskimos. They were subsequently joined and largely displaced around 1,000 years ago by ancestors of the present-day Inuit and Yup’ik1,2,3. The genetic relationship between Palaeo-Eskimos and Native American, Inuit, Yup’ik and Aleut populations remains uncertain4,5,6. Here we present genomic data for 48 ancient individuals from Chukotka, East Siberia, the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and the Canadian Arctic. We co-analyse these data with data from present-day Alaskan Iñupiat and West Siberian populations and published genomes. Using methods based on rare-allele and haplotype sharing, as well as established techniques4,7,8,9, we show that Palaeo-Eskimo-related ancestry is ubiquitous among people who speak Na-Dene and Eskimo–Aleut languages. We develop a comprehensive model for the Holocene peopling events of Chukotka and North America, and show that Na-Dene-speaking peoples, people of the Aleutian Islands, and Yup’ik and Inuit across the Arctic region all share ancestry from a single Palaeo-Eskimo-related Siberian source.

Samples & Data on TheYtree

48samples on site

30Y haplogroup resolved

7archaeological sites

Sample Map

Map tiles by TheYtree · dot size = number of samples

Paternal (Y-DNA) Haplogroups

Haplogroup	Samples
Q-A15247	6
Q-Z36017	5
Q-M3	3
Q-BZ2210	3
Q-YP1500	2
C-F15910	2
Q-BY56974	2
E-M34	1
Q-BZ577	1
Q-YP4010	1
Q-L712	1
Q-YP1102	1

Maternal (mtDNA) Haplogroups

D2a1a · 10 A2a · 8 A2b1 · 5 D4b1a2a1 · 5 C4a'b'c · 4 C4a1a3 · 3 A2a1 · 3 A2-x · 2 A2a2 · 2 F1b1b · 1

Sample Highlights More samples →

Sample	Y-DNA	mtDNA	Culture / Period
I1526	Q-BZ2210	C4a1a3	Ust’-Belaya· 4860 – 4650 cal BP
I1524	Q-Y4276	A2a	Old Bering Sea· 1120 – 760 cal BP
I5319	Q-BY56974	A2a1	Athabaskan· 900 – 550 cal BP
I7335	Q-YP1102	C4a1a3	Old Bering Sea outlier· 3640 – 3230 cal BP
I7336	Q-L712	C4a'b'c	Old Bering Sea outlier· 5590 – 5130 cal BP
I0719	Q-YP4010	D2a1a	Paleo-Aleut· 700 – 310 cal BP
I0721	Q-YP1500	D2a1a	Paleo-Aleut· 2300 – 1840 cal BP
I10427	Q-YP1500	D2a1	Middle Dorset· 1900 – 1610 cal BP
I1123	Q-M3	A2a	Neo-Aleut· 500 – 130 cal BP
I1124	Q-M3	D2a1a	Neo-Aleut· 470 – -10 cal BP