Now Reading: Ancient DNA links China’s hanging coffins to Bo people
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Ancient DNA links China’s hanging coffins to Bo people
Ancient DNA from 11 individuals buried at four hanging-coffin sites in China has been linked to 30 living members of the Bo community in Yunnan, according to a study published in Nature…
The Story in Brief
Ancient DNA from 11 individuals buried at four hanging-coffin sites in China has been linked to 30 living members of the Bo community in Yunnan, according to a study published in Nature Communications. Some remains are more than 2,000 years old. The findings support oral traditions and historical accounts that associate the Bo with the cliffside burial practice.
Researchers also found shared ancestry between the Chinese remains and four people buried in log coffins in north-western Thailand, suggesting wider links across southern China and Southeast Asia. The custom, recorded during the Yuan dynasty, is thought to have ended during the Ming period. A few thousand Bo descendants remain in Yunnan, where they are officially classified within the Yi ethnic group.
The Indian Opinion
The loudest versions of this story may turn it into either a mystery solved overnight or proof of one unbroken ethnic identity. The evidence is strong, but it comes from 11 ancient individuals and 30 modern participants, so it cannot explain every coffin or settle all questions about cultural change. The useful test is whether future samples from more sites reproduce the same genetic link without erasing the Bo community’s distinct language and traditions.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
