Indonesia skeleton DNA reveals hitherto unknown human group

Archaeologists have discovered the 7,200-year-old skeleton of a hunter-gatherer in Indonesia that comes from a human group never before identified elsewhere in the world, according to an article published in the journal Nature.

It was found amidst artefacts identified as Toaleans, a group of hunter-gatherers from this region of the Quaternary era. This is the first discovery of a skeleton from this group.

Relatively well preserved, it belonged to a young woman aged 17 to 18, buried in a fetal position in the cave of Leang Panninge, south of the island of Celebes.

DNA analysis of the hunter-gatherer revealed that she was part of a population group linked to the Papuans and the Aborigines of Australia. But its genome is also linked to a human line that is not known elsewhere in the world.

A unique discovery

“This is the first time that we have reported the discovery of ancient human DNA in the large region of the islands which stretch from the Asian continent to Australia,” Agence France-Presse told Agence France-Presse on Friday (AFP ) Adam Brumm, archaeologist at Griffith University of Australia, who co-directed this research.

Researchers consider this discovery all the more unique as ancient skeletons degrade rapidly in the humid tropical climate.

“It’s very rare to find remains of ancient human DNA in the tropics, which is why it’s a particularly happy find,” noted Adam Brumm.

This study challenges previous theories on human settlement in the region.

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