The study analyzed fifteen ancient genomes from across the Americas — from Alaska to Patagonia — providing one of the most comprehensive views yet of the genetic history of the first Americans.

But the Spirit Cave Man was the anchor of the study — the oldest well-preserved ancient American genome in the dataset, and the individual whose genetic profile did the most to resolve the longstanding debate about whether the earliest Americans were the ancestors of modern Native peoples.

Within the broader analysis, the Spirit Cave Man’s genome was examined in relation to both ancient specimens from other parts of the Americas and the modern populations that occupy the same broad regions.

The results were consistent across multiple analytical approaches: his genome was most similar to other Native American populations, and specifically to groups in western North America.