【#Tech24H】At the junction of the Loess Plateau and the Mu Us Desert, the ancient Shimao City, built 4,000 years ago, stands silently. Where did the ancestors come from, and what bonds held this complex society together? After 13 years of intensive research, Chinese scientists, through large-scale ancient genome studies, systematically revealed that the main population of the Shimao culture originated from late Yangshao period inhabitants in northern Shaanxi, showing clear genetic continuity. This genetically confirms the profound local roots of the Shimao culture. The study also reveal the social structure for the first time. The Shimao site has diverse practices of human sacrifice, which provides a critical window into early social organizational structures. The related research represents the largest-scale genetic analysis of a prehistoric settlement society globally, with an unprecedented sample size and analytical depth.