Ancient DNA from Palau
18 ancient people from Palau have had their genome published, from 849 BC to AD 1320. Here they are on a map and period by period, with their archaeological cultures and haplogroups.
Main archaeological groups: Palau KororQuarry 1500BP (8), Palau Ngkeklau 1400BP (3), Palau OmedokelCave 1400BP (2), Palau OmedokelCave 700BP (2), Palau Ucheliungscave 2750BP (2).
Most frequent Y-DNA lines: S (3), O2a (2), S1a (2), BT (1), CF (1), GH (1).
Most frequent mtDNA lines: B4a (5), P1d (5), B5b (2), B4b (1), E1a (1), E2 (1).
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Period by period
1,000 BC to AD 1 (2 individuals)
| Date | Group | Site | Y-DNA | mtDNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 849 BC | Palau Ucheliungscave 2750BP | Ucheliungs cave | S | P1d1 |
| 706 BC | Palau Ucheliungscave 2750BP | Ucheliungs cave | O2a2b2a2b2a | B4b1a2 |
AD 1 to 1000 (14 individuals)
| Date | Group | Site | Y-DNA | mtDNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD 397 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | E2 | |
| AD 400 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | S1a1 | B4a1a4 |
| AD 400 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | BT | B4a1a |
| AD 400 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | CF | B4a1a4 |
| AD 400 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | S1a1b | |
| AD 400 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | ||
| AD 430 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | ||
| AD 486 | Palau KororQuarry 1500BP | Koror Quarry | P1d1 | |
| AD 487 | Palau OmedokelCave 1400BP | Omedokel Cave | E1a1 | |
| AD 487 | Palau Ngkeklau 1400BP | Ngkeklau | S | B5b1c |
| AD 550 | Palau Ngkeklau 1400BP | Ngkeklau | O2a2b2a2b | B5b1c |
| AD 578 | Palau Ucheliungscave 1400BP | Ucheliungs cave | S | B4a1a1a20 |
| AD 595 | Palau OmedokelCave 1400BP | Omedokel Cave | GHIJK | P1d1 |
| AD 612 | Palau Ngkeklau 1400BP | Ngkeklau | B4a1a |
After AD 1000 (2 individuals)
| Date | Group | Site | Y-DNA | mtDNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD 1320 | Palau OmedokelCave 700BP | Omedokel Cave | P1d1 | |
| AD 1320 | Palau OmedokelCave 700BP | Omedokel Cave | P1d1 |
Excavation sites
- Koror Quarry 8, AD 397 to AD 486
- Omedokel Cave 4, AD 487 to AD 1320
- Ngkeklau 3, AD 487 to AD 612
- Ucheliungs cave 3, 849 BC to AD 578
Source: Allen Ancient DNA Resource v66 (Mallick et al. 2024), individuals with a date and coordinates; samples the AADR flags as misdated are left out. Group names are those of the original studies. Haplogroups are shown when they could be read from the ancient DNA.