August 7, 2015

New DNA research at Teotihuacan

Archaeologists are studying the DNA found in the remains of people buried at the Teotihuacan neighborhood of Teopancazco to determine the ethnic mixture there. They recovered mtDNA from 29 individuals. They found that Haplogroups A, B, C, and D were present in the population from the beginning. So the Teopanzaco population was mixed genetically since its founding. Some males were decapitated and have been considered foreigners. The researchers compared the DNA to groups from the Gulf Coast, Oaxaca and the Maya area. The population in the initial phase (200-350 CE) was mostly local and people from the Gulf Coast. As trade expanded, the population became more diverse. They studied seven female and 5 male infants to look for child sacrifice clues. The male infants showed more genetic diversity. This finding may lead to a better understanding of child sacrifice at Teotihuacan.
For more information, or to read the open-access article, see: Álvarez-Sandoval BA, Manzanilla LR, González-Ruiz M, Malgosa A, Montiel R (2015) Genetic Evidence Supports the Multiethnic Character of Teopancazco, a Neighborhood Center of Teotihuacan, Mexico (AD 200-600). PLoS ONE 10(7): e0132371. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0132371.

Forbes has the report here;
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/08/07/teotihuacan-had-one-of-ancient-mexicos-most-diverse-neighborhoods-dna-shows/

Mike Ruggeri’s Teotihuacan
http://mikeruggeristeotihuacan.tumblr.com