Reconstructing the Deep Population History of Central and South America samples

The ancient inhabitants of South America, particularly from sites like Lapa do Santo, provide fascinating insights into the genetic and cultural makeup of early South American populations. Lapa do Santo, an archaeological site in central Brazil, has yielded evidence of a Stone Age culture that dates back more than 12,000 years. These early Brazilians practiced complex burial rituals and left behind intricate rock carvings, pointing to a well-established society. Their skeletal remains offer clues about their genetic ancestry, which suggests a deep connection to populations in both Eurasia and East Asia. Genetic studies indicate that these ancient Brazilians were part of the first wave of human migrations into the Americas, carrying genetic lineages that trace back to both Ancient North Eurasian (ANE) and Ancient East Asian populations.

The Ancient North Eurasian ancestry present in the early inhabitants of Lapa do Santo and other regions of the Americas is linked to populations that once roamed Siberia during the Ice Age. These Ancient North Eurasian peoples played a significant role in shaping the genetic landscape of Native Americans, contributing to the unique combination of genetic influences that define many indigenous populations. At the same time, ancient Brazilians also share ancestry with Ancient East Asian populations. For this video, I gathered 31 Stone age south american genomes from a study called “Reconstructing the Deep Population History of Central and South America” published in 2018, which features genomes of not only LapaDoSanto, but many other south american stone age native american samples. Samples close to modernity were also included, such as the two Laramate samples which were close to the colonial period in historical timeline. All male samples carried Y lineage Q1.