Image Credit: KehDon, CC-BY-SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ancient DNA Reveals Isolated Lineage in Argentina

A new genetic study has uncovered a mysterious Indigenous lineage that lived in central Argentina for nearly 8,500 years, remaining surprisingly isolated from surrounding populations.
Published in Nature, the research analyzed 238 ancient genomes from individuals who lived up to 10,000 years ago. While other Indigenous groups in the Andes, Amazon, and Patagonia are well-known, the people of central Argentina had long remained a genetic mystery.
The results revealed a “deep lineage” that persisted from around 6500 B.C. until at least A.D. 1800 with almost no genetic mixing with neighboring groups. Even during major environmental and cultural changes—such as severe droughts, the shift to agriculture, and the expansion of Amazonian populations—the lineage remained remarkably stable.
Despite the region’s linguistic diversity in the historic era, the shared genetic background shows that the people of this lineage likely spoke multiple languages while maintaining a common ancestry.
Although the genetic trail fades around 200 years ago, traces of this lineage remain in the DNA of many modern Argentinians. The study provides a new foundation for understanding the deep population history of South America.

Published on: 12-11-2025

Source: Live Science