Journal
CURRENT BIOLOGY
Volume 24, Issue 21, Pages 2518-2525Publisher
CELL PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- Lundbeck Foundation
- Danish National Research Foundation [DNRF94]
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (Mexico)
- Swiss National Science Foundation [PBSKP3_143529]
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [PBSKP3_143529] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background: Rapa Nui (Easter Island), located in the easternmost corner of the Polynesian Triangle, is one of the most isolated locations on the planet inhabited by humans. Archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that the island was first colonized by Polynesians around AD 1200, during their eastward expansion. Although it remains contentious whether Polynesians reached South America, suggestive evidence has been brought forward supporting the possibility of Native American contact prior to the European discovery of the island in AD 1722. Results: We generated genome-wide data for 27 Rapanui. We found a mostly Polynesian ancestry among Rapanui and detected genome-wide patterns consistent with Native American and European admixture. By considering the distribution of local ancestry tracts of eight unrelated Rapanui, we found statistical support for Native American admixture dating to AD 1280-1495 and European admixture dating to AD 1850-1895. Conclusions: These genetic results can be explained by one or more pre-European trans-Pacific contacts.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available