Caucasus Y-DNA Haplogroups Correlate Well With Language Groups

[Black Wolf]

Certain Y-DNA haplogroups tend to correlate quite well with certain language groups in the Caucasus. A 2011 study by Oleg Balanovsky showed this to be true. Within the Northeast Caucasian language family Nakh speakers such as the Ingush and Chechens are dominated by Y-DNA haplogroup J2a-M67 while Dagestani speaking peoples such as the Avars and Lezgins are dominated by J1. Now Northwest Caucasian speakers such as the Circassians are dominated by haplogroup G2a and so are Kartvelian speakers in the South Caucasus. The domination of certain haplogroups among certain language groups testifies to both geography and language as being important barriers to gene flow. Obviously some mixing has happened but it does not seem to have been extreme after the founding peoples arrived. Of course I am only talking about speakers of indigenous languages of the Caucasus.

[Artek]

Except Ossetians :)

[Stefan_Dusan]

I2c is somewhat common in Kavkaz, maybe 5-10% levels which doesn't sound common, but it's 22,000 year old haplogroup and so had it's day and is low everywhere. Anyways it's found primarily among Georgian, Armenian nobility and I hear Ossetians as well. I think I2c is preserved in moderate levels throughout the Kavkaz, but we will find out.

[Black Wolf]

Except Ossetians :)

Ossetians clearly are mainly descended from native Caucasian peoples who adopted Indo-European speech at some point in the past. Their main Y-DNA haplogroup is G2a with J2a and other haplogroups also present.