The ancient Inca civilization appears to be more genetically diverse than what we would expect according to findings by a team of international researchers who looked into the DNA analysis of the remains of 68 individuals who were buried in Machu Picchu and Cusco.
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The researchers sequenced the DNA and compared that with DNA from indigenous peoples living in the Andes. For good measure, they also included ancestries from other parts of South America. Here is a summary of their findings:
Of all the DNA samples we analyzed, we found 17 individuals had ancestry from one of the distant sources tested (colored on the map below). These included all regions of the Peruvian coast and highlands as well as the Amazon regions of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
I don’t think it’s quite surprising that they find a great genetic diversity in that region of the world. Even today, Peru is a hotpot of culture. To learn more about the research, read it here on Sapiens.
(Image credit: Eddie Kiszka/Unsplash)
Source: neatorama