Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – Copán, situated in present-day western Honduras, was a significant capital at the southeastern frontier of the Classic Maya civilization, acting as a pivotal link between Central and South America. In 426/427 CE, it established a royal dynasty that lasted approximately 400 years. Despite extensive historical and archaeological documentation, there remains limited knowledge about the genetic makeup of Copán’s inhabitants.
Credit: K’inich Yax K’uk’ Mo’, the founder of Copan’s longest-running and most powerful dynasty of the Classic Period. DuendeThumb – CC BY-SA 3.0. Copán. Mónica J. Mora – CC BY-SA 4.0. Image compilation by AncientPages.com
A recent genetic study involving seven individuals from Classic Copán, including a possible member of the ruling dynasty and an associated sacrificial burial, provides crucial insights into the ancient history of the Maya Kingdom. The DNA analysis indicates that while city-states like Copán experienced severe population declines approximately 1,200 years ago, the Maya people never completely vanished.
By extracting DNA from these individuals and comparing it with modern genomes across the Americas, researchers discovered that Classic Copán residents shared genetic traits with late archaic populations (5,600–3,700 years ago), subsequent Maya groups, and contemporary Maya communities in Mexico. This research reveals that, although the Maya civilization underwent one of history’s most profound societal transformations, its population persisted over time.
The Maya civilization underwent a profound societal transformation, marked by significant shifts in political power, migration patterns, and cultural integration. These shifts played a significant role in shaping the development and evolution of Maya society during that period.
Altar Q at Copán depicts 16 kings in the dynastic succession of the city. Credit: Adalberto Hernandez Vega – CC BY 2.0
Genetic study reveals that during the Classic period (250–900 CE), Copán’s population included individuals of highland Mexican descent, likely from other Maya centers like Chichén Itzá. These migrants probably held significant roles within Copán’s ruling elite. Inscriptions indicate that the city’s first ruler, K’inich Yax K’uk’ Mo’, who established the royal dynasty in 426/427 CE, was also an outsider.
His name, which translates to “Radiant First Quetzal Macaw,” “Sun-Eyed Green Macaw,” or “Sun In The Mouth of the Quetzal Bird,” has various interpretations that mirror the diverse theories about his origins. Although not originally from Copan, scholars suggest he might have hailed from Teotihuacán, Tikal, Caracol, or another region entirely. What is certain is that a figure named K’uk Mo’ Ajaw appeared in 416 CE from a location far from Copan, engaged in military activities, and ascended to kingship by 426 CE. His effective rule and high regard are evidenced by tributes from subsequent rulers and archaeological findings that indicate Yax K’uk Mo’s significant role in establishing what we now identify as the Maya city of Copan.
Throughout its 400-year dynasty, Copán thrived as a center of political, economic, and ceremonial life with both elite and commoner residential areas. Genetic studies employing modeling techniques estimate that at its peak around 730 CE, Copán housed about 19,000 inhabitants—likely supported by advancements in maize agriculture. However, this prosperity waned by 750 CE, amid signs of political instability, prolonged droughts, and resource depletion, all of which were linked to the broader collapse of the Classic Maya civilization.
Genomic profiles of the Classic Copán in the context of ancient and present-day American populations. Credit: Current Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.05.002
While earlier views often depicted the Maya collapse as a mysterious disappearance, recent DNA studies highlight the resilience of the Maya through migration and identity adaptation, beyond the decline of grand cities and dynasties—factors that contributed to the survival of the Maya civilization.
The size of the Maya population approximately 1,200 years ago coincided with the end of the Classic period.
“This period also saw frequent severe droughts, dated to between the 9th and 11th century CE, which have been considered one of several factors contributing to civil conflict, societal instability, and the collapse of the Classic Maya civilization. It is important to note that, although there is spatial variation in both the timing and intensity of these droughts, as well as in the process of societal collapse, such variability is not accounted for in our analysis. The estimates of population size thus reflect an overall trend for a group of ancient Maya individuals, which remain sparse in both time and space, rather than representing any specific cultural or geographic contexts.
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In summary, our research offers a new perspective, suggesting the enduring persistence of local ancestry in the Maya region, while also highlighting the broader mobility beyond the conventional boundaries of the Maya territory,” the researchers conclude in their study.
The study was published in the journal Current Biology
Written by – Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
