In the first population-level nuclear DNA analysis of a Native American group from ancient to modern times, the ancient genomes of coastal British Columbia’s and Alaska’s Tsimshian First Nations reveal that, 6,000 years ago, their population was slowly and steadily declining. The findings contradict popular belief that, after ancestors of today’s Indigenous North Americans crossed over the Bering Strait, their populations grew until Europeans made contact.
Original paper published April 30, 2018
Lead author: John Lindo, Emory University – john.lindo@emory.edu; Canadian coauthors: David Archer, Northwestern Community College, Prince Rupert – darcher@nwcc.bc.ca; Jerome Cybulski, Western University – jcybuls@uwo.ca; Joycelynn Mitchell, Metlakatla Treaty Office, Prince Rupert – jmitchell@metlakatla.ca; Barbara Petzelt, Metlakatla Treaty Office, Prince Rupert – metlch@metlakatla.ca
