DNA in the news: Ancient DNA at Copán

 

UNESCO/Google Arts & Culture. Copán in 1980.

A new study published in the 28 May 2025 issue of Current Biology (article) shows ancient DNA recovered from the Classic Maya era city of Copán (located in present-day Honduras, on the border with Guatemala). An article in yesterday's The Independent provides a summary.

Of interest to me with the study is that the researchers looked at the DNA of seven individuals from the Copán site estimated to date from 250-950 CE, and four of them matched to the A2 mtDNA haplogroup. In light of the Chaco Canyon & Picuris study released late last month, it's interesting to see more ancient DNA from the Americas show up with A2 connections.