Though they died thousands of years ago, hundreds of bodies excavated from cemeteries like this one in East Asia’s Tarim Basin are extremely well-preserved. But the mummies’ seemingly perfect state of preservation wasn’t their only surprise—their ancient DNA has yielded surprising insights. Discover more at: https://on.natgeo.com/3yB2cs4 | National Geographic

Facial reconstruction of a ~4,000-year-old woman from Xinjiang, Tarim Basin 🧬 This individual belonged to the Gumugou culture of the Early–Middle Bronze Age, one of the earliest populations known from the Tarim Basin. 🧬 Genetic background Ancient DNA shows early Tarim Basin people were composed of roughly: • ~80% Ancient North Eurasian (ANE) • The remainder East Eurasian–related ancestry ANE is a very old Inner Asian lineage centered around modern Mongolia and southern Siberia. Today, elevated