Ancient Colombian population vanished 6,000 years ago, study finds

Groups of hunter-gatherers who migrated south settled on the Bogotá plateau, in what is now Colombia, around 6,000 years ago. Over time, they gradually transitioned into an agricultural society that lasted for nearly 4,000 years. However, this community later disappeared under circumstances that remain unclear.

These groups also vanished from the known genetic record. DNA analysis of their skeletal remains showed that researchers could not identify any ancient relatives or modern descendants, according to Al Arabiya.

Even more surprisingly, genetic analysis revealed no direct link between these ancient people and today’s Indigenous populations in Colombia. Instead, the study found closer genetic ties to groups living in the Panama isthmus who speak Chibchan languages.

Researchers suggest that members of this group may have dispersed into different regions and gradually mixed with local populations over generations, causing their genetic signature to fade. However, this remains unconfirmed due to a lack of definitive evidence explaining their fate.