Ancient DNA from four individuals from Macao provides a cautious glimpse into the community’s biological ancestry. All four mitochondrial genomes belong to mtDNA subclade C5b, while one male carries Y-haplogroup Q. Both markers are broadly associated with Indigenous American lineages, making these results consistent with pre-contact Indigenous ancestry in the Greater Antilles.
Interpretation must emphasize limits: a sample size of four is small (<10), so patterns of diversity, sex-biased migration, and population structure cannot be robustly inferred. The uniform mtDNA signal (C5b in all four samples) may reflect local maternal continuity or sampling bias toward closely related individuals. The single observed Y-haplogroup Q fits expectations for Indigenous paternal lineages in the Americas, but with one male it is not evidence for wide paternal homogeneity.
Genetic affinities tentatively place Macao individuals within the spectrum of Caribbean and circum-Caribbean Indigenous variation. Comparative genomic work with larger samples from neighboring islands and mainland populations will be required to test hypotheses about migration routes, relatedness to other Ceramic-period groups, and potential ties to earlier Archaic inhabitants. For now, the Macao aDNA underscores Indigenous presence at this coastal site and highlights the value—and current limits—of integrating archaeology with ancient genomes.
