An international team of geneticists has published a study in Cell Reports detailing the first ancient DNA recovered from the Seychelles archipelago. The analysis of skeletal remains dating to approximately 100 CE reveals a unique genetic admixture of Austronesian voyagers and South Asian coastal populations, suggesting that the central Indian Ocean was a hub of multi-ethnic interaction much earlier than previously thought.
The research challenges the traditional narrative of late human arrival in the Seychelles, providing biological evidence of trans-oceanic trade networks that linked the Indonesian archipelago directly with the Indian subcontinent. The study also identifies genetic markers related to resistance against tropical fevers, indicating a long period of adaptation to maritime environments.