Ancient human genome-wide data from a 3000-year interval in the Caucasus corresponds with eco-geographic regions
Wang CC, Reinhold S, Kalmykov A et al.
Publication Details
Comprehensive information about this research publication
Abstract
Summary of the research findings
Archaeogenetic studies have described the formation of Eurasian 'steppe ancestry' as a mixture of Eastern and Caucasus hunter-gatherers. However, it remains unclear when and where this ancestry arose and whether it was related to a horizon of cultural innovations in the 4th millennium BCE that subsequently facilitated the advance of pastoral societies in Eurasia. Here we generated genome-wide SNP data from 45 prehistoric individuals along a 3000-year temporal transect in the North Caucasus. We observe a genetic separation between the groups of the Caucasus and those of the adjacent steppe. The northern Caucasus groups are genetically similar to contemporaneous populations south of it, suggesting human movement across the mountain range during the Bronze Age. The steppe groups from Yamnaya and subsequent pastoralist cultures show evidence for previously undetected farmer-related ancestry from different contact zones, while Steppe Maykop individuals harbour additional Upper Palaeolithic Siberian and Native American related ancestry.
Ancient DNA Samples
58 ancient DNA samples referenced in this publication
| Sample ID | Date/Era | Country | Locality | Sex | mtDNA | Y-DNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARM002 | 3356 BCE | Armenia | South Caucasus mountains. Kaps | M | K3 |
G-Z8024 |
| ARM001 | 3625 BCE | Armenia | South Caucasus mountains. Kaps | F | R1a1 |
|
| ARM002 | 3356 BCE | Armenia | South Caucasus mountains. Kaps | M | K3 |
G2b |
| I1720 | 3700 BCE | Russia | Baksanyonok | M | HV |
P-M45 |
| I1723 | 2877 BCE | Russia | Goryachevadskiy | M | U5b2a1a |
R-L23 |
| SA6003 | 2470 BCE | Russia | Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6 | M | U2e3a |
R-Z2103 |
| RK4001 | 2451 BCE | Russia | Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 4 | M | U5a1i |
R-Z2109 |
| RK4002 | 2662 BCE | Russia | Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 4 | M | U4d3 |
R-FT130500 |
| MK3003 | 2580 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 3 | F | U4a2 |
|
| RK1001 | 2881 BCE | Russia | Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 1 | M | U5a1d |
R-Z2103 |
| RK1007 | 3331 BCE | Russia | Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 1 | F | T2a1 |
|
| ZO2002 | 3300 BCE | Russia | North Caucasus steppe. Zolotarjëvka 2 | F | U5a1-a |
|
| I1722 | 4539 BCE | Russia | Unakozovskaya | F | R1a |
|
| I2055 | 4676 BCE | Russia | Unakozovskaya | M | R1a |
J |
| I2056 | 4607 BCE | Russia | Unakozovskaya | M | R1a |
J2a |
| PG2004 | 4240 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Progress 2 | M | H2 |
R-V1636 |
| PG2001 | 4994 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Progress 2 | M | I3a |
R-V1636 |
| VJ1001 | 4337 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Vonjucka 1 | F | T2a1b |
|
| VEK006 | 3000 BCE | Russia | Caspian sea shore. Velikent | F | U4a2 |
|
| VEK007 | 3000 BCE | Russia | Caspian sea shore. Velikent | M | U4a2 |
J-Z1842 |
| I2051 | 1450 BCE | Russia | North Caucasus. Marchenkova Gora | M | H6a1a2a |
J |
| MK5001 | 3400 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5 | M | K1a4 |
L-L595 |
| MK5004 | 3400 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5 | M | T2a1 |
L-L595 |
| MK5008 | 3369 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5 | M | T1a2 |
J-M267 |
| I11133 | 3332 BCE | Russia | Sinjucha. Kuban steppe | F | U4c1 |
|
| I11131 | 3349 BCE | Russia | Sinjucha. Kuban steppe | M | U4c1 |
L1 |
| I11132 | 3350 BCE | Russia | Sinjucha. Kuban steppe | F | U4c1 |
|
| SA6002 | 3332 BCE | Russia | Sinyukha (Republic of Adygea, Krasnogvardeysky District) | F | U4c1 |
|
| SIJ002 | 3349 BCE | Russia | Sinyukha (Republic of Adygea, Krasnogvardeysky District) | M | U4c1 |
L-L595 |
| SIJ003 | 3350 BCE | Russia | Sinyukha (Republic of Adygea, Krasnogvardeysky District) | F | U4c1 |
|
| NV3001 | 2127 BCE | Russia | North Caucasus steppe. Nevinnommiskij 3 | M | R1b |
Q-BY72936 |
| I1720 | 3700 BCE | Russia | Baksanyonok | M | HV |
P-M45 |
| OSS001 | 3704 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Ossetia | F | J2a1 |
|
| I6266 | 3504 BCE | Russia | Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana | M | X2f |
J2a1 |
| I6267 | 3625 BCE | Russia | Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana | F | T2c1 |
|
| I6268 | 3516 BCE | Russia | Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana | M | R1a |
J2a1 |
| I6272 | 3318 BCE | Russia | Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana | M | U1b1 |
G2a2a |
| KBD001 | 2197 BCE | Russia | North Caucasus mountains. Kabardinka | M | I4a |
R-M12149 |
| KBD002 | 2192 BCE | Russia | North Caucasus mountains. Kabardinka | F | W1 |
|
| KDC001 | 1950 BCE | Russia | Piedmont/mountains. Kudachurt | M | X2i3 |
J-L283 |
| KDC002 | 1900 BCE | Russia | Piedmont/mountains. Kudachurt | F | HV1a1 |
|
| I1723 | 2877 BCE | Russia | Goryachevadskiy | M | U5b2a1a |
R1b1a1a2a |
| RK1003 | 2899 BCE | Russia | Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 1 | F | R1a1a |
|
| BU2001 | 2866 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Belij Ugol 2 | M | |
R1b1a2a2 |
| GW1001 | 2883 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Gorjačevodskij 1 | M | U2e1b |
R1b1a2a2 |
| LYG001 | 2866 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Lysogarskaya | M | H13a1a2 |
R-Z2103 |
| MK5009 | 2879 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5 | M | R1a1a |
R-KMS75 |
| PG2002 | 2476 BCE | Russia | Piedmont. Progress 2 | F | U1a1a3 |
|
| VEK007 | 3000 BCE | Russia | Caspian sea shore. Velikent | M | U4a2 |
J-Z1842 |
| SA6010 | 2886 BCE | Russia | Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6 | M | U5a1g |
R-V1636 |
| AY2001 | 3514 BCE | Russia | Kaspi steppe. Aygurskij 2 | F | T2e |
|
| AY2003 | 3630 BCE | Russia | Kaspi steppe. Aygurskij 2 | F | H2a1 |
|
| SA6001 | 3520 BCE | Russia | Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6 | F | U7b |
|
| SA6004 | 3359 BCE | Russia | Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6 | M | U7b |
Q-F749 |
| SA6013 | 3360 BCE | Russia | Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6 | M | I5b |
R-YP1272 |
| MK5005 | 3650 BCE | Russia | Mar'inskaja 5. Piedmont | F | |
|
| IV3002 | 3617 BCE | Russia | North Caucasus steppe. Ipatovo 3 | M | X1'2'3 |
T-L490 |
| OSS002 | 3932 BCE | Russia | Ossetia'. Piedmont | M | |
|
Analysis
Comprehensive review of ancestry and genetic findings
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