Archaeogenomic distinctiveness of the Isthmo-Colombian area.

The recently enriched genomic history of Indigenous groups in the Americas is still meager concerning continental Central America. Here, we report ten pre-Hispanic (plus two early colonial) genomes and 84 genome-wide profiles from seven groups presently living in Panama. Our analyses reveal that pre-Hispanic demographic events contributed to the extensive genetic structure currently seen in the area, which is also characterized by a distinctive Isthmo-Colombian Indigenous component. This component drives these populations on a specific variability axis and derives from the local admixture of different ancestries of northern North American origin(s). Two of these ancestries were differentially associated to Pleistocene Indigenous groups that also moved into South America, leaving heterogenous genetic footprints. An additional Pleistocene ancestry was brought by a still unsampled population of the Isthmus (UPopI) that remained restricted to the Isthmian area, expanded locally during the early Holocene, and left genomic traces up to the present day.

The First Cathedral on America's Pacific Coast.

New research dispels the idea that Panamá Viejo was initially founded one-half mile from the site of its visible present-day ruins. The archaeological and historical evidence, subjected to interdisciplinary analysis, demonstrates that the city remained on the same main plaza next to its natural port from its founding 500 years ago until its destruction in 1671. The data reconsidered and newly uncovered also suggest reasons for previous misinterpretations of the city's early foundational history. Unlike many colonial cities and towns, Panamá Viejo did not move during its first century of existence. However, its main church, which became the bishopric's cathedral in 1524, did relocate after 1541. The new evidence establishes and confirms the original location of the first cathedral on America's Pacific Ocean to the south of Panamá Viejo's main plaza and explains its move to an elevated, rocky area on the eastern side of the same plaza over 20 years later. Excavations undertaken in 2018 have confirmed the original building's location a mere 50 m from the visible ruins of the cathedral, the tower of which remains a symbol of Panamanian identity today.

Las nuevas investigaciones despejan la idea de que Panamá Viejo fue inicialmente fundada a milla y media del sitio en donde ahora son visibles sus ruinas. Las evidencias arqueológicas e históricas, sometidas a un análisis interdisciplinar, demuestran que la ciudad permaneció en el mismo emplazamiento, al lado de su puerto natural, fundada 500 años atrás hasta su destrucción en 1671. La revisión de la información disponible, además de la descubierta recientemente, también sugieren las razones de los errores interpretativos previos en torno a la historia fundacional de la ciudad. A diferencia de numerosas ciudades y pueblos coloniales, Panamá Viejo no fue trasladada durante su primer siglo de existencia. Sin embargo, su iglesia principal, la cual se convirtió en sede catedralicia en 1524, fue reubicada después de 1541. La nueva evidencia confirma la localización original de la primera catedral en el Pacífico americano al sur de la plaza mayor de Panamá Viejo y explica el traslado a un área rocosa más elevada, en el costado este de esta plaza, unos veinte años más tarde. Las excavaciones adelantadas en el 2018 han confirmado su ubicación original a escasos 50 m de las actuales ruinas de la catedral, cuya torre permanece como un símbolo de la identidad panameña hoy.

Une nouvelle recherche écarte l'idée que la fondation de Panama Viejo soit intervenue originellement à 800 m du site de ses ruines visibles de nos jours. Les preuves historiques et archéologiques, lorsqu'elles sont assujetties à une analyse interdisciplinaire, démontrent que la ville est demeurée sur la même place principale que son port naturel à compter de sa fondation il y a 500 ans jusqu'à sa destruction en 1671. Les données ayant fait l'objet d'un nouvel examen et qui ont été découvertes suggèrent également les motifs à l'appui des interprétations erronées de l'histoire de la fondation initiale de la ville. Contrairement à de nombreuses villes et cités coloniales, Panama Viejo ne s'est pas déplacée au cours du premier siècle de son existence. Cependant, son église principale qui est devenue en 1524 la cathédrale de l'évêché, s'est implantée ailleurs après 1541. Les preuves nouvelles établissent et confirment le site originel de la première cathédrale sur l'Océan pacifique de l'Amérique au sud de la place principale de Panama Viejo et expliquent son déplacement vers une zone élevée, rocheuse sur la partie orientale de la même place plus de 20 ans par la suite. Les fouilles entreprises en 2018 ont confirmé le site de la bâtisse d'origine à seulement 50 m des ruines visibles de la cathédrale, dont la tour demeure un symbole de l'identité panaméenne de nos jours.

Weaving Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Variation in the Panamanian Genetic Canvas.

The Isthmus of Panama was a crossroads between North and South America during the continent's first peopling (and subsequent movements) also playing a pivotal role during European colonization and the African slave trade. Previous analyses of uniparental systems revealed significant sex biases in the genetic history of Panamanians, as testified by the high proportions of Indigenous and sub-Saharan mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) and by the prevalence of Western European/northern African Y chromosomes. Those studies were conducted on the general population without considering any self-reported ethnic affiliations. Here, we compared the mtDNA and Y-chromosome lineages of a new sample collection from 431 individuals (301 males and 130 females) belonging to either the general population, mixed groups, or one of five Indigenous groups currently living in Panama. We found different proportions of paternal and maternal lineages in the Indigenous groups testifying to pre-contact demographic events and genetic inputs (some dated to Pleistocene times) that created genetic structure. Then, while the local mitochondrial gene pool was marginally involved in post-contact admixtures, the Indigenous Y chromosomes were differentially replaced, mostly by lineages of western Eurasian origin. Finally, our new estimates of the sub-Saharan contribution, on a more accurately defined general population, reduce an apparent divergence between genetic and historical data.