Research Article

Ancient DNA analysis of human remains from the upper capital city of Kublai Khan

  1. Yuqin Fu1,2,
  2. Chengzhi Xie1,3,
  3. Xuelian Xu3,
  4. Chunxiang Li3,
  5. Quanchao Zhang1,
  6. Hui Zhou1,3,*,
  7. Hong Zhu1

Article first published online: 25 JUL 2008

DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.20894

Issue

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

Volume 138, Issue 1, pages 23–29, January 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Fu, Y., Xie, C., Xu, X., Li, C., Zhang, Q., Zhou, H. and Zhu, H. (2009), Ancient DNA analysis of human remains from the upper capital city of Kublai Khan. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol., 138: 23–29. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20894

Author Information

  1. 1

    Ancient DNA Laboratory, Research Center for Chinese Frontier Archaeology, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, People's Republic of China

  2. 2

    College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, People's Republic of China

  3. 3

    College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130023, People's Republic of China

*Research Center for Chinese Frontier Archaeology, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, People's Republic of China

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 1 DEC 2008
  2. Article first published online: 25 JUL 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 19 MAY 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 12 JAN 2008

Funded by

  • National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Number: J0530184

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Keywords:

  • ancient DNA;
  • mitochondrial DNA;
  • human origins;
  • China

Abstract

Analysis of DNA from human archaeological remains is a powerful tool for reconstructing ancient events in human history. To help understand the origin of the inhabitants of Kublai Khan's Upper Capital in Inner Mongolia, we analyzed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphisms in 21 ancient individuals buried in the Zhenzishan cemetery of the Upper Capital. MtDNA coding and noncoding region polymorphisms identified in the ancient individuals were characteristic of the Asian mtDNA haplogroups A, B, N9a, C, D, Z, M7b, and M. Phylogenetic analysis of the ancient mtDNA sequences, and comparison with extant reference populations, revealed that the maternal lineages of the population buried in the Zhenzishan cemetery are of Asian origin and typical of present-day Han Chinese, despite the presence of typical European morphological features in several of the skeletons. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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