Ancient cave DNA reveals forgotten Himalayan people with dual ancestry
Researchers have uncovered evidence that people with Tibetan and South Asian ancestry were mixing in the Himalayan region around 2,800 years ago, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The findings come from DNA analysis of human remains discovered in Old Lady Spider Cave in Ladakh, northern India, and published in Science Advances. The cave, located about 4,000 meters above sea level, contained the remains of people who lived roughly 1,500 years ago.
Scientists successfully analyzed the genomes of 10 individuals. They found the group was genetically very similar to one another and carried an ancestry that is rare in South Asia today. About half of their ancestry came from a population closely related to present-day North Indians, while the other half came from a population genetically similar to ancient Tibetans.
By studying the inherited DNA patterns, the researchers estimated that the mixing of these two populations began at least 50 generations before the individuals lived, placing the event around 2,800 years ago.
The study suggests this mixed population was already well established long before the people buried in the cave lived. Researchers also found evidence that the population likely contributed to the ancestry of some people living in the Himalayan region today, including groups from Ladakh.
The team cautioned that the mixing did not necessarily take place in Ladakh itself. It may have happened elsewhere, such as in present-day Nepal, before members of the population later moved into Ladakh.
The research also sheds light on ancient connections across the Himalayas. According to the authors, the findings provide direct evidence of contact between Ladakh and Tibet more than a century before the rise of the Tibetan Empire.
In addition, the researchers identified a genetic variant linked to high-altitude adaptation that originally came from the extinct Denisovan human group. The variant was present in some of the ancient individuals, although the study found no evidence that it became more common through strong natural selection after the population mixed.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that ancient DNA unlocked new secrets of Kazakhstan's Golden Man and Scythian dynasties.