Quids and Aprons: Ancient DNA from Artifacts from the American Southwest
Abstract
The success of ancient DNA (aDNA) studies rests on the preservation of DNA through time, and can be limited by the availability of skeletal samples from particular times and locations. To help overcome this limitation, we sought to extract, amplify, and type human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) preserved within 1000- to 2000+-year-old artifacts from the American Southwest. In this study, we successfully typed mtDNA from 21 quids and aprons from Basketmaker II and Mimbres contexts. Recovery and analysis of human DNA from such artifacts will be helpful in confirming and extending genetic characterization of ancient populations for which human remains are scarce or unavailable. To illustrate the potential of these techniques, we tested them as a preliminary and independent line of evidence, relevant to the hypothesis that Western Basketmaker populations in the U S. Southwest were descendants of migrant farmers from central Mexico.
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Other sources of ancient human DNA (coprolites, quids, aprons) are rare, preserved only under exceptional circumstances, and many have culturally, geographically, or temporally limited distributions.
“However, in most cases such sources are rare, being preserved only under exceptional circumstances, and many have culturally, geographically, or temporally limited distributions.”
From Successful enrichment and recovery of whole mitochondrial genomes from ancient human dental calculus (2016) · cites this paper as LeBlanc et al., 2007
Cites
Ancient DNA from a pre‐Columbian Amerindian population
Stone, A. C., & Stoneking, M. (1993) · American Journal of Physical Anthropology · doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330920405 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
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Successful enrichment and recovery of whole mitochondrial genomes from ancient human dental calculus
Ozga, A. T., Nieves‐Colón, M. A., Honap, T. P., Sankaranarayanan, K., Hofman, C. A., Milner, G. R., Lewis, C. M., Stone, A. C., & Warinner, C. (2016) · American Journal of Physical Anthropology · doi:10.1002/ajpa.22960 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
“…a number of other sources of ancient human DNA are known in the archaeological record, including coprolites (preserved feces) (Poinar et al., 2001; Gilbert et al., 2008b), quids (chewed and expectorated plant matter) (LeBlanc et al., 2007), and aprons (menstruation garments) (LeBlanc et al., 2007).”
- Authors
- LeBlanc, S. A., Cobb Kreisman, L. S., Kemp, B. M., Smiley, F. E., Carlyle, S. W., Dhody, A. N., & Benjamin, T.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Washington State University (US)
- University of Utah (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Field Archaeology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2007-01
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 161-175
- ISSN
- 0093-4690 (ISSN-L)
- 2042-4582
- OpenAlex
- W2019928578
- Cited by
- 37
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 0.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Field Archaeology (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Harvard University
- University of California, Davis
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Keywords
- ancient DNA, human mitochondrial DNA, quid, aprons, Basketmaker II, Mimbres, southwestern United States, prehistoric population genetics
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