A recent study published in Science Advances, has used ancient DNA to uncover the origins of workers who were buried more than 500 years ago within the Inca Empire, specifically at the site of Machu Picchu.
insights into the lives of the “retainer population” and are a window into the world of lower-status individuals …
… the DNA analysis unveiled that these individuals hailed from different parts of the Inca Empire, with some originating from as far as Amazonia. Interestingly, there was minimal shared DNA among them, suggesting that they were brought to Machu Picchu individually, rather than being part of familial or community groups.
I am not well versed on the history of Machu Picchu, but it sounds like these were potentially skilled trades attracted to the work or forced laborers … or perhaps some combination of the two.
