A recent DNA analysis has confirmed what the Picuris Pueblo people of northern New Mexico have long claimed was passed down through their oral traditions—that they share a deep ancestral connection with the ancient people of Chaco Canyon, one of the most famous and well-preserved Native American archaeological sites in the United States. This is the first time a federally recognized Indigenous tribe in the US has had access to genetic data that proves their connection to ancient ruins and people, making this discovery a true breakthrough in DNA-based archaeological research.
The Picuris Pueblo, a sovereign nation located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Santa Fe, thrived in the past. Around 1600 its population exceeded 3,000, but the centuries that followed brought devastation from disease, violence, and colonial oppression. Today, only about 300 Picuris people remain, though their cultural roots run deep.
"We've always said we have this deep connection to Chaco Canyon," said Picuris Lt. Gov. Craig Quanchello at a recent statement quoted by Live Science. "It not only runs through our veins, but now through science."
The Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is considered sacred by many Southwest Indigenous communities, and now at least one of them has been able to confirm a true connection to an amazing site and a glorious era of cultural development.
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Oral Tradition Passes the Genetic Test
Oral history has long asserted that the Picuris are descendants of the people who once lived in Chaco Canyon, a major cultural and spiritual hub of the ancestral Pueblo world from 800 to 1130 AD. With modern pressures threatening Chaco’s preservation—particularly oil and gas drilling in surrounding areas—the tribe sought scientific validation to strengthen their cultural claims.
Picuris elder Clifford Tsosie in front of Round House in Picuris Pueblo, NM, which is one of the Picuris' ritual rooms, used for rituals and meetings. (Pinotti, et. al/Nature).
In 2020, Picuris leadership initiated contact with a team of international geneticists to begin a study of their peoples’ historical connection to the surrounding land. The study that was eventually carried out analyzed DNA from 16 ancient individuals buried at Picuris Pueblo between 1300 and 1500 AD, plus the genomes of 13 present-day Picuris members. The researchers compared these genomes to a wide dataset of 590 ancient and modern genomes from across the Americas and Siberia. The results, which have just been published in the journal Nature, showed clear continuity between the ancient and modern Picuris, with significant ancestral overlap.
"The results show a strong relationship between ancient and present-day Picuris," said study co-author Thomaz Pinotti, a geneticist at the University of Copenhagen.
Notably, the DNA of the modern Picuris also connects to Anzick-1, a child who lived 13,000 years ago in what is now Montana and belonged to the Clovis culture, which was once thought to represent the earliest inhabitants of the Americas. Pinotti noted that some of the Picuris DNA dates back even further than the time when the Clovis culture was dominant, showing that their roots in the Chaco region run extraordinarily deep.
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Bringing Indigenous Agency into Archaeology
Perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of the study is the genetic link between the modern Picuris and nine individuals buried at Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, an iconic site of ancestral Puebloan architecture and ceremony.
Pueblo Bonito site in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. (Johnny Clark/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0).
These individuals had been previously studied in 2017. But that research drew criticism for failing to engage Indigenous communities. This time, the Picuris made the decision themselves to include the data collected at that time
"We were pretty twisted up about using this data, because we knew how controversial it was," said co-it author Mike Adler of Southern Methodist University. "When we brought this up to the tribal council, it was a very simple response: 'That's not your call. That's our call. You should use this data, because it's an avenue to better our understanding of our own past.'"
This shift in agency—where Indigenous communities lead and define the terms of scientific inquiry—marks a significant departure from previous practices in archaeology and genetics, which often involved collecting human remains without consent. "It wasn't an easy decision," said Picuris Governor Wayne Yazza. "This is life-changing data."
The model of collaboration seen in this study may not be universally accepted, however. Some Indigenous groups will likely remain cautious or opposed to genetic research, given the historical misuse of ancestral remains and cultural artifacts.
"I understand that there's definitely going to be different tribes in that region that are not going to be for this [type of DNA analysis]. And that's totally understandable. There's certainly been plenty of abuse of DNA data," said Meradeth Snow, an anthropologist at the University of Montana.
Beyond academic interest, the findings carry political and cultural weight. "The DNA could help us protect" our heritage, Quanchello said. "Now we can say, 'This is ours, we need to protect it.'"
An image of Fajada Butte and the Fajada Gap, near the southwestern rim of Chaco Canyon. (Chaco Canyon National Historic Park/Public Domain).
Paul Reed, a preservation archaeologist who works for Archaeology Southwest, emphasized the importance of the links that connect past with future.
"It's super important that we don't talk about Chaco in the category of 'lost civilizations,' like the Egyptian pyramids or Stonehenge,” he said. “That notion is particularly damaging in this instance because it disenfranchises the Pueblo people who live all around the canyon to this day."
Brian Vallo of Acoma Pueblo, a leader in the Chaco Heritage Tribal Association, added that present-day threats such as mining and drilling near the park make these findings all the more urgent. "We have these close connections because our ancestors migrated and built these places –– they remain central to the preservation of our own Indigenous culture."
Top image: Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park in NW New Mexico.
Source: Chris M. Morris/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0.
By Nathan Falde
