Ancient genomes reveal long-range influence of the pre-Columbian culture and site of Tiwanaku

A groundbreaking study reveals that the Tiwanaku civilization, which thrived between 500 and 1000 CE in the Lake Titicaca basin, exerted significant long-range influence across the southern Andes without substantial population movements. Analyzing 17 ancient genomes from individuals dated between 300 and 1500 CE, researchers demonstrated genetic continuity in the region, indicating that cultural and political transformations were not accompanied by large-scale migrations. Conversely, the ritual center of Tiwanaku exhibited high genetic diversity, including individuals with local ancestry and those with foreign admixture or origins from distant regions like the Amazon. Most human offerings at the Akapana platform, dating to around 950 CE, showed pure Titicaca basin ancestry, coinciding with the decline of Tiwanaku as a sociopolitical center. These findings underscore Tiwanaku's complex and far-reaching polity.

Popović, D., Molak, M., Ziółkowski, M., Vranich, A., Sobczyk, M., Vidaurre, D. U., Agresti, G., Skrzypczak, M., Ginalski, K., Lamnidis, T. C., Nakatsuka, N., Mallick, S., & Baca, M. (2021). Ancient genomes reveal long-range influence of the pre-Columbian culture and site of Tiwanaku. Science Advances, 7(39). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abg7261