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Newswise — DALLAS () – In a rare collaboration with geneticists and archaeologists, a federally recognized tribe in the United States has utilized ancient DNA to establish a genetic link to an important ancestral heritage site, Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. A new study published in  establishes the strongest genetic connection yet between present-day individuals from Picuris Pueblo and Chaco Canyon, which is a New Mexico historical site central to Pueblo ancestry.

Recognizing the potential of ancient DNA to help secure links to their past, Picuris tribal leadership reached out to SMU researchers and to initiate conversations with geneticist at Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen and Department of Genetics at University of Cambridge. Adler has worked with the Picuris Pueblo community for over thirty years due to his ongoing research into Pueblo ancestry in northern New Mexico.

“For centuries, Indigenous communities have relied on deep ecological knowledge to sustain their lands and cultures,” said Picuris Pueblo Governor Craig Quanchello. “Today, as tribes face mounting environmental and political challenges, the integration of cutting-edge science with traditional knowledge presents a powerful path forward. Using DNA analysis to trace our people's relationships to sacred lands and water sources reinforces our legal claims while preserving cultural heritage.”

The research was designed to be a model for tribal data sovereignty over all aspects of the research. The tribe asserted its right to curtail research at any point during the collaboration, and publication of research results continues to be the sole decision of Picuris Pueblo leadership.

The Chaco Canyon Connection

Ancestral Pueblo settlements are among North America’s most recognizable archaeological sites, and many have been designated as United States National Historical Parks or Monuments. Several Pueblos are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the monumental “great houses” built in Chaco Canyon between 800 – 1150 A.D. The Chaco regional system covered over 100,000 square miles, where adherents of the regional system built over 150 great house structures, likely to emulate those found in Chaco Canyon.

While oral traditions of Picuris and other Indigenous groups, including the other eighteen Pueblo nations, often make connections between Chaco Canyon and their own histories, the nature and depth of that relationship continue to be debated by scholars. Despite being one of North America’s oldest continuously occupied communities, there are large gaps in Picuris histories due to centuries of systemic injustice, loss of traditional lands and resources, and five centuries of colonial rule.

“Those factors have often minimized the Picuris Pueblo voice regarding the status and future of Chaco Canyon, which is a sacred place,” said Adler, an archaeologist and anthropology department chair at SMU. at the University of Copenhagen and paper’s first author added, "This study doesn’t touch on, question, or try to redefine what other Tribal Nations have said about Chaco Canyon. What it does is to add new a new line of evidence supporting Picuris' claim that their ancestors were part of the Chaco regional system, which influenced much of the Southwest 1,000 years ago."

 What is Ancient DNA?

Ancient DNA is the genetic material recovered from the remains of organisms that lived in the past, often thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years ago. Regarding humans, it can be extracted from bones, teeth, hair or even soft tissues that have been preserved. In 2010, Willerslev completed the first mapping of an ancient human genome, using a tuft of hair whose owner had lived 4,000 years ago. Later in 2014 he mapped the first ancient human genome from the Americas.

Since then, he has been involved in numerous studies, each providing a greater understanding of human history that would have been unattainable decades ago. Willerslev is now pioneering research into ancient environmental DNA aiming to develop climate-resilient crops and agroecosystems.

After Picuris Pueblo leadership first conceived of a collaboration with Adler, Meltzer, Willerslev and his research team, multiple meetings were held over a two-year period to ensure that all the benefits and potential challenges of the research were fully considered. Representatives from the Picuris leadership, SMU and GeoGenetics Centre at Globe Institute in Copenhagen then agreed on a research plan to investigate the Picuris genomic history. A formal agreement emerged between the Picuris and the University of Copenhagen for the collaborative study, and led to the Picuris approving transfer of ancient individuals, excavated in the 1960s by an SMU team led by Herbert Dick, to Denmark.

 A Powerful Tool for Archaeology

At dedicated ancient DNA clean labs at Globe Institute, Willerslev and his colleagues, headed by Pinotti and , extracted DNA from tiny samples of bones and teeth, each less than 1/20^th of a teaspoon in size. From these they generated genomes from 16 ancient Picuris individuals spanning the last millennium.

Additionally, saliva samples were donated by 13 present-day members of the Picuris tribe. After analyzing the collected DNA, researchers compared the samples with reference datasets, evaluating the Picuris data against 300 populations from the Americas and more than 5,500 individuals worldwide.

The results show that no other sampled population, past or present, is more closely related to Chaco Canyon than present-day or ancient members of Picuris Pueblo. Thomaz Pinotti noted that sampling in the region is limited and includes no other Pueblo communities, but also points out the revelation that Picuris and individuals from Chaco Canyon share very rare genetic markers, which are found in very few individuals or populations.

“Ancient DNA is good for the discipline of archaeology, because it gives us information about ancient peoples that excavated items simply can’t,” said Meltzer, the Henderson-Morrison Professor of Prehistory at SMU who has collaborated with Willerslev for over a decade. “Through this work, we have a greater understanding of things like migration patterns, dietary and lifestyle choices, contact between populations and even disease evolution. This is a powerful tool that answers questions we never imagined could be addressed.”

Willerslev Applauds Collaboration Between a Community and Researchers

For decades, scientists relied on archaeological findings to reconstruct the past and theories weren't always accurate. It was previously thought that there were early non-Native American people in the Americas, but the ancient DNA analyses so far have shown all of the ancient remains found are more closely related to contemporary Native Americans than to any other population anywhere else in the world.

“This was the first time I’ve ever experienced a federally recognized community reaching out to understand their ancestry with the help of genetics,” said Willerslev. “The study is an example of the collaboration between a community and researchers that hopefully inspires similar partnerships. It also shows the importance of having archaeology and anthropology context as we continue investigating ancient DNA. There needs to be proper interpretation of the data we’re seeing through these classical disciplines and that circles back to having the strong relationships that made this study possible.” Added Governor Quanchello, “Meaningful partnerships between tribal nations, research institutions, and policymakers are essential. Tribes must be at the decision-making table, ensuring research aligns with community priorities rather than being imposed upon us. We must ensure that tools like ancient DNA serve our communities rather than be used against us. We must lead the conversation on how our data is used, how our lands are protected, and how future generations inherit a world where they are not just acknowledged but respected.”

The research team includes experts from Brazil, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. First authors are Thomaz Pinotti, Mike Adler, and Richard Mermejo. Last authors are David Meltzer, J. Víctor Moreno-Mayar, Craig Quanchello and Eske Willerslev. Additional authors are Julie Bitz-Thorsen, Hugh McColl, Gabriele Scorrano, Motahareh Feizabadifarahani, Devlin Gandy, Matthew Boulanger, Charleen Gaunitz, Jesper Stenderup, Abigail Ramsøe, Thorfinn Korneliussen, Fabrício Santos, Fabrice Demeter, Lasse Vinner, and Martin Sikora.

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