DNA Unlocks Secrets of Ancient Maya Collapse in Copán

​ ⁤​ ⁣Updated May 28, 2025

Genetic research​ is shedding ⁤new light on the collapse of the Maya civilization. A new study focusing on ‍skeletons unearthed near the‌ ancient city of Copán, located in present-day Honduras, suggests ​a meaningful population decline ​occured around 1,200 years​ ago during ⁢the Classic Maya period (A.D. 250 to 900). However, the research ​also indicates that the Maya people did​ not disappear entirely.

Shigeki Nakagome, assistant ⁤professor of genomic medicine at Trinity⁢ College Dublin and ⁢co-author of the study, stated that the findings align with‍ archaeological theories suggesting a population ​decrease rather than complete‌ extinction. The research, published in Current biology, examined the genomes of seven individuals from Copán to understand social and cultural shifts following ⁢the arrival of outsiders in the late 420s.

Copán, a major Maya capital, served as ‌a crossroads between Central and South america. Inscriptions​ indicate that the royal dynasty was established ‌in ⁤A.D. 426 ⁣by K’inich‍ Yax K’uk’ Mo’, considered an outsider. While previous‍ studies suggested migration and gene flow⁢ were common in other Maya sites, ⁣the genetic​ mixing at Copán had remained ​unexplored.

The genomic sequencing revealed diverse maternal lineages among the seven ⁣individuals. Notably, ‍two males shared the same ​Y-chromosome ⁢lineage. One, buried in a wealthy tomb, was likely a dynastic ruler, while ⁢the other was a possible sacrificial victim.Despite sharing a lineage common among present-day Indigenous American populations, the ‌two men were not closely related, according ‌to Nakagome.

Comparing the ​ancient genomes with those from Siberia‌ and the Americas revealed strong evidence of genetic ⁢continuity in the Maya region from approximately 3700 B.C. ⁣to 1000 B.C. The data supports the idea of enduring local ancestry. Researchers also found evidence of an influx of people with highland Mexican ​ancestry during the Classic⁣ Maya​ period, potentially from sites like Chichén Itzá.​ These‍ “outsiders” ⁤mixed with⁤ the local population,‍ creating⁢ a dual-ancestry group.

Analysis of the genomic data allowed researchers to estimate Maya population ⁤size over time.Their‌ model suggests a significant population increase, reaching about ‌19,000​ people ‍around A.D.⁣ 730, possibly due to the rise of maize agriculture. ⁣However,‍ the population began ⁣to decline ‌around A.D. 750, coinciding ⁢with the Classic Maya collapse.

Despite the population decline, the research supports the idea of population persistence. Nakagome said that⁤ the genetic continuity suggests the population was not⁣ replaced ⁤after the collapse. the genomes of modern Maya people, numbering over 7 million, are closely related ‌to those of their ancient⁤ ancestors.

What’s next

further research will focus on‌ analyzing more ancient DNA samples to gain a more detailed⁢ understanding of the complex social and environmental factors that contributed⁤ to the Maya civilization’s collapse and subsequent resilience.