A three-dimensional rendering made from the tomography of Luzio’s skull, a roughly 10,000-year-old fossil discovered in the Capelinha river midden located in the Ribeira de Iguape valley, hints at similarities to Luzia, the earliest human fossil unearthed so far in South America. This led researchers to theorize that it may have been from a population distinct from current-day Amerindians. However, recent research has disproved this theory. Image credit: André Strauss/MAE-USP
Researchers analyzed genomic data from 34 fossils from four separate Brazilian regions. This included larger skeletal remains and famous coastal shell and fishbone mounds. The study pointed out differences between these communities.
A newly published paper in Nature Ecology & Evolution puts forth evidence that Luzio, the oldest human skeleton ever found in São Paulo, Brazil, descended from the first settlers in the Americas over 16,000 years ago. It is thought that this ancient population gave rise to all existing Indigenous groups, such as the Tupi.
The research paper, based on the most comprehensive assembly of Brazilian archaeological genomic data available, also offers an explanation for the disappearance of the earliest coastal communities. These communities are believed to have built the iconic Brazilian archaeological structures known as sambaquis — huge piles of shells and fishbones that served as homes, graveyards, and boundary markers, often referred to as shell mounds or kitchen middens by archeologists.
“André Menezes Strauss, an archeologist at the University of São Paulo’s Museum of Archeology and Ethnology (MAE-USP) and the study’s lead investigator, remarked, “Following the Andean civilizations, the Atlantic coast sambaqui builders had the highest population density in pre-colonial South America. Known as the ‘kings of the coast,’ they vanished suddenly around 2,000 years ago.”
Tiago Ferraz is the lead author of the study, which was carried out in collaboration with researchers at the University of Tübingen’s Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment in Germany, and was funded by FAPESP (projects 17/16451-2 and 20/06527-4).
The team examined the genomes of 34 samples taken from four different coastal areas of Brazil. These fossils, originating from sambaquis and eight other sites, were at least 10,000 years old. Luzio, the oldest skeleton found in São Paulo, was part of these samples. It was discovered in the Capelinha river midden in the Ribeira de Iguape valley by a team led by Levy Figuti, a professor at MAE-USP. Its skull shape is reminiscent of Luzia, the oldest human fossil discovered so far in South America, which dates back approximately 13,000 years. Researchers initially speculated that it could have belonged to a population different from current-day Amerindians, who migrated to present-day Brazil about 14,000 years ago, but this assumption was proven incorrect.
“Luzio was confirmed to be an Amerindian, similar to the Tupi, Quechua, or Cherokee, through genetic analysis. While they aren’t all identical, they all trace back to a single migration wave that reached the Americas no more than 16,000 years ago. If there was another population here 30,000 years ago, it left no descendants among these groups,” said Strauss.
Luzio’s DNA also shed light on another mystery. River middens differ from coastal ones, suggesting that Luzio cannot be viewed as a direct ancestor of the huge traditional sambaquis that emerged later. This finding indicates that there were two separate migration paths – one into the hinterland and another along the coast.
What happened to the sambaqui builders?
The genetic material analysis unveiled diverse communities with cultural similarities but notable biological differences, particularly between southeastern and southern coastal communities.
“Previous studies from the 2000s hinted at a slight difference between these communities based on skull morphology, and our genetic analysis confirmed it,” explained Strauss. “One reason for this difference is that these coastal populations weren’t isolated; they exchanged genes with inland communities over thousands of years, which likely led to regional sambaqui variations.”
Regarding the mysterious disappearance of this coastal civilization, the first Holocene hunter-gatherers, DNA sample analysis revealed a transition in practices rather than a Neolithic-style population replacement seen in Europe. There was a decline in shell midden construction and the introduction of pottery by sambaqui builders. For instance, the genetic material found at Galheta IV (Santa Catarina state), the most representative site for this period, contains not shell but ceramic remains, mirroring the classic sambaquis in this aspect.
“This data aligns with a 2014 study that examined pottery shards from sambaquis, which were used to cook fish, not domesticated plants. This suggests they adopted technology from the hinterland to prepare their traditional food,” Strauss concluded.
The study was funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation.
Reference: “Genomic history of coastal societies from eastern South America” by Tiago Ferraz et al., 31 July 2023, Nature Ecology & Evolution.
DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02114-9
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Amerindian ancestry
What is the significance of the skeleton called Luzio found in São Paulo?
Luzio is the oldest human skeleton ever discovered in São Paulo, Brazil. The analysis of Luzio’s DNA confirmed that it was an Amerindian, providing evidence that Luzio descended from the original population that established their home in the Americas over 16,000 years ago.
Who conducted the study of the Luzio skeleton?
The study was led by André Menezes Strauss, an archaeologist at the University of São Paulo’s Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. The research was conducted in partnership with researchers at the University of Tübingen’s Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment in Germany. The lead author of the study is Tiago Ferraz.
What is a sambaqui?
Sambaquis are iconic archaeological structures in Brazil, often described as shell mounds or kitchen middens. They are massive piles of shells and fishbones that served as homes, graveyards, and boundary markers.
What does the study suggest about the sambaqui builders?
The study offers an explanation for the disappearance of the earliest coastal communities, known as the sambaqui builders. It suggests a change in practices rather than a Neolithic-style population replacement seen in Europe. Over time, there was a decline in shell midden construction and the introduction of pottery.
What evidence was found at the Galheta IV site?
The genetic material found at Galheta IV in Santa Catarina state, contains ceramic remains rather than shell remains, similar to the classic sambaquis. This is in line with a 2014 study that found that pottery shards from sambaquis were used to cook fish, indicating an adaptation of inland technology to process traditional coastal food.
More about Amerindian ancestry
- Luzia – Wikipedia
- Sambaquis – Wikipedia
- Nature Ecology & Evolution
- University of São Paulo’s Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
- University of Tübingen’s Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment
- São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
