The centuries-old mummified remains of Indigenous Siberians are revealing secrets about their genetics over a vast period — before, during and after Russia's conquest of their land — including that a female shaman buried in a red woolen dress had closely related parents, a new study finds.
Archaeologists recovered the naturally mummified remains of more than 100 Indigenous Yakuts who were buried in Siberia between the 14th and 19th centuries. Their DNA analysis of the bodies shows that the Yakuts resisted Russian attempts at conquest and Christianization in a way that typically isn't seen in Indigenous populations.
