A DNA study of 34 individuals who lived in the area that is now Brazil thousands of years before the Portuguese arrived has revealed unexpected findings about the principal prehistoric sites along the nation's coast. The renowned sambaquis, man-made hills used for ritual funerals and burial sites, appear to have been constructed by various peoples according to the region, according to new information.

The study, which was just published in the specialized journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, also explains the genetic ancestry of Luzio, the name given to a skeleton that dates back 10,400 years and is thought to be the oldest human in the state of São Paulo.

Although the DNA suggests that Luzio belonged to the same vast ancestral population that gave rise to the original peoples that were present in 1500, his skull form differs from that of the majority of indigenous people today. A team of scholars from various Brazilian and European institutions wrote the report.

The research was coordinated by geneticist Tábita Hünemeier and archaeologist André Strauss, both of whom have ties to the University of São Paulo. The first author is Tiago Ferraz from the Department of Genetics at USP.