Ancient genomes reveal the genetic origins and social structure of the Shimao population.

Shimao site located at the pastoral-agricultural transition zone of northern Shaanxi, China, with its massive fortification systems and rich sacrificial remains, exemplifies the social complexity of an early state society. However, the origins of its population, social structure, and interactions with neighboring cultures have long been subjects of academic debate. To address these questions, a research team led by Qiaomei Fu from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Archaeology and other institutions, conducted a 13-year systematic study. They performed large-scale, systematic paleogenomic analyses on 169 ancient human skeletal remains from the core Shimao site, its peripheral settlements, and the southern Shanxi region. Breakthroughs were achieved in three key aspects. The study confirmed that the genetic composition of the Shimao population derived mainly from local Late Yangshao populations in northern Shaanxi, demonstrating genetic continuity with earlier local inhabitants. It also revealed close genetic affinities between the Shimao and Taosi populations in southern Shanxi, as well as significant genetic connections with steppe pastoralists associated with the Yumin culture and southern rice-farming communities. Most importantly, the study firstly and successfully reconstructed a four-generation family pedigree within the Shimao site, indicating that Shimao society was patrilineal and highly stratified. This study not only provides an unprecedented model for understanding the formation of early states in China but also offers direct genetic evidence for exploring power inheritance and social stratification in early East Asian states.