Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – For centuries, Chaco Canyon in New Mexico was a vibrant hub where people gathered within complex stone and timber structures to engage in ceremonies, share traditions, and exchange knowledge. However, around 1150 C.E., new construction slowed significantly, and many inhabitants migrated elsewhere.
The reasons for this departure remain a topic of intense debate. Nevertheless, oral histories from several modern Native groups—including various Diné (Navajo) clans and Pueblo tribes across the U.S. Southwest—trace their lineage back to those who left Chaco Canyon.
Credit: FotoRichter – Pixabay- Public Domain, National Park Service (United States), Public Domain. Image compilation AncientPages.com
In a groundbreaking development reported today in Nature, scientists have employed genomic analysis for the first time to establish a connection between the Picuris Pueblo—a federally recognized tribe in northern New Mexico—and their Chacoan ancestors.
“This is something that we’ve always known, who we are,” Picuris Pueblo Lieutenant Governor Craig Quanchello said in a press conference. “[But] for it to be validated on paper, that was very moving and very powerful.”
The legal implications of the ongoing analysis related to the Picuris Pueblo’s quest for greater policymaking influence in the Chaco Canyon region are still unfolding, according to Joseph Yracheta, Executive Director of the Native BioData Consortium and a member of the P’urhépecha and Rarámurì tribes. He highlights that while data is available, determining subsequent steps remains crucial.
The Picuris Pueblo has a deep-rooted connection to Chaco Canyon through their oral history, cultural practices, and artifacts. Since around 900 C.E., they have resided approximately 275 kilometers east of the canyon in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo mountains. Once one of the largest Pueblos, they are now among the smallest and often excluded from policy discussions concerning Chaco Canyon.
Currently, Chaco Canyon is central to a heated debate over natural resources, sacred spaces, and tribal sovereignty. Oil and gas companies are advocating for drilling rights on lands adjacent to this region. The Diné Nation filed a lawsuit in January against the Department of Interior’s decision to halt oil and gas extraction within a 16-kilometer buffer zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park as part of efforts to alleviate financial challenges faced by many tribal communities. However, some groups like the Picuris Pueblo oppose these actions.
On April 15th, a federal court allowed two tribes—the Pueblo of Acoma and Pueblo of Laguna—to join this legal dispute in defense of protecting this sacred area.
“Our elders felt that we needed to do something,” Quanchello says.
Quanchello sought to use scientific evidence to establish a connection between his people and Chaco Canyon, hoping this would amplify their voices in discussions about the region’s future.
To pursue this, he reached out to Michael Adler, an archaeologist from Southern Methodist University with over 30 years of experience working with the Picuris tribe. Adler suggested genomic analysis as a potential solution, comparing DNA from modern and ancient Picuris individuals with that of those who once inhabited Chaco Canyon. Together with colleagues, Adler discussed this research approach with the Picuris tribal council, openly acknowledging the possibility of finding no genetic link.
Importantly, the scientists ensured that the Picuris had control over every aspect of the analysis process, including deciding whether or not to publish the findings upon completion.
“They had the power to stop the project any moment,” says the study’s first author Thomaz Pinotti, a geneticist at the University of Copenhagen.
At the end of every meeting, the Picuris committee reconfirmed its commitment. “We steered this ship in the hopes that using technology in the Western way, that they [the U.S. government] would now listen,” Quanchello says.
The research team collected saliva samples from 13 living members of the Picuris tribe and sequenced their genomes. These were then compared with ancient DNA from the remains of 16 individuals buried at Picuris Pueblo between 500 and 700 years ago.
The findings highlighted a strong genetic link, confirming the tribe’s longstanding presence in the area. Additionally, scientists compared this data with genomes previously obtained from individuals buried at Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon and other Native American populations. Among these groups, the Picuris showed the closest genetic relationship to those buried at Chaco Canyon.
With 19 Pueblo tribes residing in New Mexico, it’s important to recognize the enduring historical connections these tribes have with Chaco Canyon. The recent study does not challenge these deep-rooted ties; instead, it reinforces the significance of acknowledging and preserving this rich cultural heritage.
Credit: SkybirdForever – CC BY-SA 3.0
“We show that individuals from Picuris Pueblo are the closest sampled population, past or present, to ancient individuals from Chaco Canyon, challenging claims of depopulation or disappearance in the area, and establishing a genetic component to suspected cultural affiliation between a present-day group and Ancestral Puebloan heritage. We emphasize that this conclusion does not challenge or call into question the connections and relationships that more than two dozen federally recognized Tribes have to Chaco Canyon. It is, however, the only example of paleogenetic data supporting a federally recognized Tribe’s affiliation with Chaco Canyon ancestors,” the researcher wrote in their study published in Nature.
The future steps remain somewhat uncertain. Quanchello hopes that by establishing his tribe’s genetic connection to the region, the Picuris will have their perspectives on protecting Chaco Canyon more widely recognized.
See also: More Archaeology News
However, demonstrating lineage through native burials does not necessarily ensure that U.S. courts will grant rights to a site. Despite this, Quanchello is optimistic that the outcomes of the genomic analysis will expedite securing a place for the Picuris in discussions concerning the region’s future.
The study was published in the journal Nature
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
