New Study Suggests Polynesians and South Americans Met around 1200 CE

7/10/2020

A new study published in Nature used DNA analysis to determine that South Americans and Polynesians made contact around 1200 CE and had children together. Alexander Ioannidis of Stanford led a team analyzing DNA from French Polynesia and South America, and they found indigenous South American DNA in Polynesia. Although Ioannidis believes that first contact likely happened when Polynesians reached South America, the evidence of Colombian DNA in Polynesia implies that the Americans sailed westward and landed in Polynesia, perhaps getting stranded there. According to Ioannidis, the evidence suggests a single contact event, since all of the Colombian DNA seems to derive from the same source (the Zenu people) at the same time.

Media reports announced this as a vindication for Thor Heyerdahl, who had made an epic voyage across the Pacific aboard the Kon Tiki in an attempt to prove that ancient Andean peoples had colonized Polynesia. The Nature study cites Heyerdahl as evidence that Polynesians discovered islands already colonized by South Americans.

However, the Nature study received criticism shorty after publication. Archaeologist Molle Guillaume, who specializes in the Pacific region, noted that the Nature authors based their analysis on Heyerdahl without deep engagement with archaeologists working in the region, or with biological anthropologists and geneticists who specialize in the Pacific region in general and French Polynesia specifically.

It based on modern genome analysis of individuals on today’s French Polynesia, Cook Is. and Rapa Nui. ADMIXTURE analyses show that many islanders appear to have a European component from colonial admixture, but also detect admixture in eastern Polynesia from Native American ind.
— Molle Guillaume (@molleguillaume) July 8, 2020

To be entirely honest, I don't really have a lot to add here. Regardless of the details, contact between Polynesia and South America has long been suspected, and the evidence suggests that it occurred late enough (c. 1200 CE) that it played no major role in the cultural development of the ancient cultures of either region. It is a great story about human accomplishment, but it does not imply anything about a lost civilization or any of the other wild claims that sprang up on the back of Heyerdahl's work.

Before I close today, I will also point out that I have posted a revised and expanded version of my recent long-form essay on Rebel without a Cause and midcentury moral panics in my Articles section.

15 Comments

Brian

7/10/2020 08:43:27 am

That's an interesting story and some good scientific detective work. I'll want to read more about the Zenu people and their alleged seagoing abilities.

But I wonder how long before the fruitcakes start trying to claim the Zenu were Knights Templar?

Nick Danger

7/10/2020 09:08:35 am

I'm sure "Zenu" indicates a Scientology component, as well.

Eddie Guimont

7/10/2020 10:45:37 am

Obviously the infamous Zeno Brothers made a stop in South America after their visits to Oak Island, Newport, and Bimini!

E.P. Grondne

7/10/2020 01:00:37 pm

It is strange that the Inka's trans-Pacific voyage, undertaken after the Great Wall of Water Impact Event, is not better known.

E.P. Grondine

7/10/2020 01:02:11 pm

It is also strange that Betty Meggars work is not better known.

Kent

7/10/2020 05:23:28 pm

"Meggers was widely acknowledged for her contributions to the field of archaeology and South American studies. Some of her awards are:

* 1956: Washington Academy of Sciences Award for Scientific Achievement
* 1966: Decoration of Merit from the Government of Ecuador
* 1966: 37th International Congress of Americanists Gold Medal
* 1985: Society for American Archaeology, 50th Anniversary Award
* 1997: Medalla de "La Periquera" from the Museo Provincial de Holgun, Cuba
* 1997: Doctor Honoris Causa from the Universidad Nacional de la Plata, Argentina
* 1998: Meggers & Evans awarded for "their contribution to our National Identity" by the Embassy of Ecuador, Washington, D.C.

Meggers wrote nearly two hundred articles, book reviews, translations, and books. She published in many leading scientific journals such as American Anthropologist, American Antiquity, Science, and Scientific American. In addition, she published in less-specialized magazines including Archaeology, Americas, and National Geographic."

Doc Rock

7/11/2020 11:08:05 am

EP is probably referring to Meggers work on intensive Pre-Columbian contact. She is like several of the old school scholars like Kehoe and Jett who had an interest in the topic and continued to stick with it even without substantive evidence. People tend to see the glass half full and focus on their "mainstream" research and associated recognitions.

7/13/2020 11:55:12 pm

The display on the second floor of the Natural History Museum which pretty much demonstrated multiple trans-pacific contacts was removed.

But you know, that is not my problem. My problem is the really complete and intentional ignorance of impact events. Right now most will finally concede the mammoth and mastodon were extincted by impact, while complete ignorance of more recent smaller impacts is still very common among anthropologists.

Their ignorance of impact geology an impact geologists is pretty complete. So one has to look for polite ways of saying "stupid".

7/14/2020 09:04:56 pm

* Which Natural History Museum? Doesn't matter, museum exhibits get fnord swapped in and out all the time.
* I pointed you to the Tanis Site, featured in Smithsonian Magazine, hardly an obscure journal and you didn't know what continent it is on or its significance.
http://www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-of-ancient-aliens-s14e13-the-constellation-code
* "Stupid" while not profane like so many of them, is not a word you want to be throwing around.

https://psmag.com/environment/comet-claim-comes-crashing-to-earth-31180

"This article covers quite a bit of the reasons for being skeptical of the Younger Dryas comet impact hypothesis and deserves to be read in its entirety except in cases of feebleness [redacted]. I find this part especially interesting, Firestone and Kennett's collaborator seems to have pulled a "Randi's Boyfriend": Funnily enough, a fake geologist.

"Indeed, the team’s established scientists are so wedded to the theory they have opted to ignore the fact their colleague “Allen West” isn’t exactly who he says he is.

West is Allen Whitt — who, in 2002, was fined by California and convicted for masquerading as a state-licensed geologist when he charged small-town officials fat fees for water studies. After completing probation in 2003 in San Bernardino County, he began work on the comet theory, legally adopting his new name in 2006 as he promoted it in a popular book. Only when questioned by this reporter last year did his co-authors learn his original identity and legal history. Since then, they have not disclosed it to the scientific community."

"A study of Paleoindian demography found no evidence of a population decline among the Paleoindians at 12,900 ± 100 BP, which was inconsistent with predictions of an impact event. They suggested that the hypothesis would probably need to be revised."

Holliday VT, Meltzer DJ (2010). "The 12.9-ka ET Impact Hypothesis and North American Paleoindians". Current Anthropology. 51 (5): 575–606.

7/15/2020 07:12:37 pm

Why Hello Kant -

"stupid - having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense".

It works really well in describing a number of people who run themselves into me

Perhaps the Holocene Start Impact Events are simply an intellectual game for you, Not for us. Whatever Allen's earlier problems, there are a number of geologists working on them besides him. Perhaps some decade you'll catch up with their research. Or maybe not.

In any case, your ignorance and stupidity are not my problem. They don't pay me enough,. You are one person living on this planet, and your intellectual imitations are not my problem.

"Paleoindian demography" And exactly what is your training or even passing acquaintance with the PIDB?
https://pidba.utk.edu/main.htm

Any field work? Any lab work?

A few years ago you could still run into cranks who would argue that the dinosaurs were not killed by impact. Well, for me,and many other specialists in this field you are just another crank.

Be sure to read my collection of Native memories of the Holocene Start Impact Events. Or don't. But please keep in mind that your intellectual limitations are not my problem, .

7/16/2020 07:23:53 am

Your ignorance of the Tanis Site betrays you.

I could turn your question about Paleoindian Demographics right back on you, but it's sufficient simply to mention it.

I will say though that you are consistent, always insulting and profane or trying and failing to be insulting and profane.

TONY S.

7/10/2020 07:34:42 pm

What's the current academic consensus on the merit of Heyerdahl's research? From what I remember he was respected in at least some archaeological circles. His reputation appears to have suffered in recent years although I'm not sure exactly why.

I read his books when I was younger, and remember his documentaries airing on TV. My favorite work is still THE MALDIVES MYSTERY, where he traveled to the archipelago to investigate pre-Islamic traces of Buddhist and Hindu presence on several of the islands.

William Fitzgerald

7/10/2020 08:45:15 pm

Given that Polynesians found and colonized most habitable islands in the tropical Pacific and beyond in an area of ocean larger than Canada, it would be almost beyond belief they wouldn't have stumbled on South America. They found Easter Island a small island and one of the most isolated in the world. Beyond Easter Island is South America. That's not to say the contact was sustained. But given Polynesian history and success at navigating to very remote islands, I would be skeptical to claims that they didn't arrive in South America. As far as South Americans voyaging the Pacific I am much more skeptical. There is little evidence of long sea voyages by South Americans. Whereas the Polynesians came from a long line of Pacific Islander peoples including the Melanesians and Micronesians who in many ways were equal to the Polynesian navigational and voyaging skills.

7/11/2020 11:22:03 am

I thought that this research had been discussed here or elsewhere some time ago? An issue being whether the DNA mix is a result of colonial era population movements rather than the much earlier time frame proposed by the researchers?

7/14/2020 12:01:16 am

Here you go Doc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbM4vHcRyz0
"The Peopling of the Americas" by yours truly.
Just the hard genetic data with ALL of the bullshit ignored.