Ancient DNA reshapes the story of early Pacific migrations: Neolithic seafarers who settled Palau were already a blend of Asian and Papuan peoples.

The article focuses on new ancient DNA research revealing that the first settlers of the Palau archipelago, about 3200 years ago, were already a genetically mixed population of Southeast Asians and Papuans. Unlike other Pacific islands settled by the Lapita culture, Palau lacks Lapita pottery and its inhabitants speak a distinct Oceanic Austronesian language, reflecting a unique migration history. Genetic analysis of ancient Palauan skeletons shows a consistent 60-40 ratio of Southeast Asian to Papuan ancestry, indicating this admixture occurred roughly 3700 years ago, likely in eastern Indonesia before these mixed groups voyaged to Palau. This research clarifies the complex peopling of the western Pacific and the origins of populations in islands that previously did not fit established Lapita settlement patterns. [Extracted from the article]