Reconstructing Genetic Links Between the Bali Archipelago and India Using Ancient DNA and Stable Isotope Analysis

Niraj Rai

The island of Bali retains deep cultural links to South Asia, yet whether the early “Indianization” involved the movement of people or solely goods and ideas remain unknown. We report the first genome-wide ancient DNA (aDNA) from the site of Gilimanuk, a 2000-year-old necropolis on Bali’s west coast. Out of 18 human skeletons processed, we successfully retrieved authentic aDNA from 8 individuals, generating good-coverage genomic data, the first from this region. This study provides the earliest direct evidence of human mobility between India and Bali. By establishing the first high-quality aDNA dataset from the site Gilimanuk, our work opens new avenues to understand how migration shaped the genetic ancestry and cultural dynamics of early Southeast Asian coastal communities.