The Dark Roots of Civilization in Ancient Shimao The recent discovery of ancient DNA from China's 4,000 year old Shimao settlement has revealed a complex web of genetic connections between its people and distant populations.
This finding sheds new light on the origins and social organization of one of East Asia's earliest complex societies.
Genetic analysis conducted by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences suggests that Shimao's inhabitants were largely descended from local Yellow River farming communities, but also had ties to southern and steppe populations.