This is a story that appears repeatedly in the history of ancient DNA research: an early result, produced at the limit of the available technology, turns out to contain errors that only become apparent when better technology is applied.

The history of Neanderthal DNA research contains similar episodes.

The history of ancient Egyptian DNA research — where early results from the 1980s and 1990s turned out to be largely contamination — is another example.

The correct response to this history is not to distrust ancient DNA research but to understand it as a young science that is still developing the tools for its own quality control.

The existence of a reanalysis that corrects a previous error is evidence that the self-correcting process of science is functioning as it should.