A few years ago, 17 Jomon archeological sites in Japan’s four northernmost prefectures received UNESCO World Heritage designation, sparking fresh interest in Japan’s ancient Jomon heritage. Jomon is ...

The history of humanity is an intricate tapestry, whose threads not only belong to our own species but intertwine with those ...

The prehistoric Jomon people of Japan had "unexpectedly low" levels of DNA from the Denisovans, our mysterious human relatives.

New research shows the prehistoric Jomon people of Japan carried almost no Denisovan DNA, offering clues about early human ...

Different histories of contact with Denisovans in East Asia: While the ancestors of mainland East Asians met Denisovans multiple times, one lineage that contributed to present-day Japanese reached ...

Long before samurai or emperors, the islands of Japan were home to the Jomon—a people who built villages, crafted pottery, and laid the foundations of a timeless culture.

Modern humans inherited part of their ancestry from multiple, genetically distinct Denisovan groups through interbreeding events. However, the history of contact with Denisovans remains unclear. By ...

A new genetic study has revealed that the Jomon people of ancient Japan carried almost no Denisovan DNA, setting them apart from other East Asian populations. The research suggests that the ancestors ...