Chaco Canyon was once the epicenter of a lost civilization. Construction on its remarkable structures began around AD 850, located in northwestern New Mexico. Yet, within 300 years, the site was deserted. Today, the canyon grounds hold sacred significance for many Native Americans, and over 20 Pueblo tribes regard the Chaco people as their ancestors. Recent DNA analysis has substantiated this ancestral link to one Pueblo group.
The genetic analysis connecting the ancient inhabitants of Chaco Canyon to the modern Picuris Pueblo tribal nation reveals a compelling story. Picuris Pueblo currently resides approximately 275 kilometers (170 miles) east of the canyon. For generations, tribal members have spoken of their descent from ancient North Americans, with oral histories recounting their ties to Chaco Canyon.
New findings underscore what the people of Picuris have recognized for years. The results further illuminate lost aspects of the tribe’s history. Members of the Picuris Pueblo Tribe collaborated with scientists on a new study, the findings of which were shared on June 5th in Nature.
“Our elders always knew we were connected, but seeing it verified was incredibly moving and powerful,” said Craig Cranchero, lieutenant governor of Picuris Pueblo and a member of the research team, during a press conference on April 29th.
Building the Family Tree
Recent research was spurred by concerns over the future of Chaco Canyon. In recent years, oil and gas companies have pursued drilling in the area. The Picuris Pueblo Tribal Nation opposed this exploitation of their ancestors’ land, but their protests went unheeded. In response, tribal officials sought to bolster their legal case by gathering scientific evidence linking them to this territory.
Tribal leaders enlisted the help of Eske Willerslev, a genetics expert at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, known for his work using DNA to explore the histories of various Native American tribes.
With the Tribe’s consent, Willerslev’s team analyzed DNA from 16 individuals, all buried between about 1300 and 1500 at Picuris Pueblo. They compared this genetic material to blood samples from 13 contemporary tribe members, as well as DNA from ancient and modern populations in Siberia and across America. This analysis included remains from Chaco Canyon.
The results indicated a close genetic relationship between the ancient and modern inhabitants of Picuris, confirming that both groups share ancestral ties to the residents of Chaco Canyon.
Revising Picuris History
Historically, some scholars posited that after the collapse of the Chaco Canyon society, its inhabitants fled the region. If this theory held true, the ancestors of Picuris and other Pueblo tribes would have settled the area much later. However, new evidence challenges that assumption.
Instead, this research supports the possibility that Pueblo groups like Picuris departed Chaco Canyon around the year 1200.
“Picuris adapted and relocated to create their own social networks,” says David Hurst Thomas, an archaeologist not involved in the current study, based at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Genetic data suggests that the ancient Picuris population remained around 3,000 after leaving Chaco Canyon, indicating enough continuity to maintain a descent line to the modern tribe. However, DNA findings also suggest a striking decline, with the Picuris population dropping by about 85% after the Spanish invasion in the 1500s. Today, only 306 members of the Picuris Pueblo remain.
Do you have any science questions? We can help!
Submit your question here and we might answer that Science News is exploring
Support, Don’t Harm Native Communities
Connections to Chaco Canyon from other Pueblo tribes have yet to be analyzed with DNA. However, the growing collaboration between scientists and Indigenous communities has led to discoveries of ancient North American ancestry among present-day Native American tribes.
These initiatives have been fueled by Indigenous groups advocating for the return of their ancestors’ remains. Many skeletal remains were collected without tribal consent for research and analysis.
Initially, scientists resisted repatriating these remains, but a 1990 U.S. law requires that Native American remains be returned to their tribal descendants, putting pressure on researchers to correctly connect ancient remains to the appropriate modern tribes.
Progress in DNA technology has aided these efforts.
Many Indigenous communities continue to be frustrated with archaeologists who request DNA samples and encroach on sacred burial sites. Often, scientists have disregarded tribal narratives regarding their own histories. Nonetheless, new research illustrates the inaccuracies of prior assumptions about Native American cultures.
While the historical context of such research is fraught, the study conducted by Picuris is deemed “a landmark” by Thomas. Unlike past studies that often overlooked the voices of Indigenous peoples, this project was led by the Picuris Tribe, ensuring they maintained full control throughout the process.
Source: www.snexplores.org