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Bronze and Iron Age genomes reveal the integration of diverse ancestries in the Tarim Basin

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Moja

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Summary​

The Tarim Basin in Xinjiang functioned as a crucial meeting point for peoples, cultures, and goods across the Eurasian steppe and served as the easternmost edge for western steppe population dispersal.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Despite its importance as a historical crossroads, the prehistoric genetic history of the region remains largely unexamined, which results in a major gap in understanding Eurasian population movements and steppe group expansion to the east. Here, we present genome-wide data from 24 individuals from the western Tarim Basin during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Our findings reveal that Bronze Age populations derived most of their ancestry from pastoralist groups, likely tracing back to the rapid eastward expansion of early Andronovo-related cultures in western steppes. As these steppe groups migrated, they first admixed with Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC)-related agricultural populations and later with indigenous groups represented by the Bronze Age Tarim mummies, ultimately shaping the genetic landscape of the western Tarim Basin. Many of these individuals are genetically distinct from Andronovo-related groups in western Xinjiang,2 indicating that at least two separate waves facilitated the entry of steppe populations into Xinjiang. Notably, we identified an Iron Age individual from western Tarim Basin who appears largely unaffected by the steppe influx, pointing to a previously unrecognized direct genetic admixture between BMAC and the indigenous ancestors of the Tarim. This underscores the genetic heterogeneity of the Iron Age Tarim and suggests that a long-lasting indigenous legacy endured for more than 1,000 years.
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ChatGPT:

This statement says something important about the people in the western Tarim Basin during the Iron Age, who are often linked to the Tocharians. Here's what it means in relation to them:

  • The individual’s DNA shows little influence from the “steppe influx” — that is, the large migrations from the Eurasian steppe, which brought many Indo-European groups into various parts of Asia and Europe.
  • Instead, the genetic data reveals a direct mixing (admixture) between the BMAC culture and the indigenous (local) people of the Tarim Basin.
  • This suggests that the ancestors of the Tocharians (or the people living there at the time) were not mainly descended from steppe migrants, but had a significant genetic legacy from local populations combined with BMAC-related ancestry.
  • This challenges or adds nuance to the idea that the Tarim Basin was mainly populated by steppe-derived Indo-Europeans. Instead, the Iron Age Tarim population was genetically diverse, with multiple influences.
  • The long-lasting indigenous legacy means that local people’s ancestry stayed strong and continued in the Tarim Basin for over 1,000 years, even amid migrations and cultural changes.

In short: This finding suggests that Tocharians (or their ancestors) were not just steppe migrants but had deep local roots with important genetic input from BMAC, reflecting a complex population history with enduring local ancestry.
 
So Taklamakan Desert, and Tarim Valley could be the motherland of those western facade europeans. Very interesting.
 
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