The genetic prehistory of the greater Caucasus

[Kelmendasi]

https://anthrogenica.com/showthread.php?14285-The-genetic-prehistory-of-the-Greater-Caucasus-preprint-Harvard-Jena

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/05/16/322347?rss=1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Abstract
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 likely linked to the dispersal of Indo-European languages. To address this, 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 Caucasus groups are genetically similar to contemporaneous populations south of it, suggesting that - unlike today - the Caucasus acted as a bridge rather than an insurmountable barrier to human movement. The steppe groups from Yamnaya and subsequent pastoralist cultures show evidence for previously undetected Anatolian farmer-related ancestry from different contact zones, while Steppe Maykop individuals harbour additional Upper Palaeolithic Siberian and Native American related ancestry.

[Kelmendasi]

https://s31.postimg.cc/9rvby4eff/image.png

https://s31.postimg.cc/sk771sikb/image.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FaMgLWH.png

[Kelmendasi]

Ydna haplogroups:
. RK4002.B0101 Rasshevatskiy 4 4610.0 Catacomb - R1b1a2
. RK4001.A0101 Rasshevatskiy 4 4277.0 Catacomb - R1b1a2
. SA6003.B0101 Sharakhalsun 6 4292.5 Catacomb - R1b1a2
. I2051 Marchenkova Gora, D13 3260.0 Dolmen LBA - J
. I2055 Unakozovskaya 6533.0 Eneolithic Caucasus - J
. I2056 Unakozovskaya 6477.5 Eneolithic Caucasus - J2a
. PG2001 Progress 2 6207.0 Eneolithic steppe - R1b1
. PG2004 Progress 2 6090.0 Eneolithic steppe - R1b1
. ARM002.A0101; ARM003 Kaps 5148.0 Kura-Araxes - G2b
. VEK007.A0101; VEK009 Velikent 4850.0 Kura-Araxes - J1
. MK5004 Marinskaya 5 5171.0 Late Maykop - L
. MK5001 Marinskaya 5 5141.5 Late Maykop - L
. SIJ002.A0101 Sinyukha 5173.5 Late Maykop - L
. KBD001 Kabardinka 4036.5 Late North Caucasus - R1b1a2
. NV3001 Nevinnomiskiy 3 3970.5 Lola - Q1a2
. I6268 Klady 5564.0 Maykop Novosvobodnaya - J2a1
. I6266 Klady 5200.0 Maykop Novosvobodnaya - J2a1
. I6272 Dlinnaya Polyana 5200.0 Maykop Novosvobodnaya - G2a2a
. KDC001.A0101 Kudachurt 3823.5 MBA North Caucasus - J2b
. BU2001.A0101 Beliy Ugol 2 4674.0 North Caucasus - R1b1a2a2
. GW1001.A0101 Goryachevodskiy 2 4726.0 North Caucasus - R1b1a2a2
. I1723 Goryachevodskiy 2 4702.0 North Caucasus - R1b1a1a2a
. LYG001.A0101 Lysogorskaya 6 4672.0 North Caucasus - R1b1a2
. MK5009.A0101 Marinskaya 5 4710.0 North Caucasus - R1b1a2
. SA6013.B0101 Sharakhalsun 6 5180.0 Steppe Maykop outlier - R1
. RK1001.C0101 Rasshevatskiy 1 4726.0 Yamnaya Caucasus - R1b1a2

[sailormoon]

. PG2001 Progress 2 6207.0 Eneolithic steppe - R1b1
. PG2004 Progress 2 6090.0 Eneolithic steppe - R1b1


These two individuals (PG2001, PG2004) are ancestral to other ancient Caucasus samples with R1b1's descendant subclades (R1b1a2 and R1b1a2a2). A male from the Mesolithic Samara culture (5650–5555 BCE) also belonged to R1b1, the earliest documented ancient sample of this haplogroup discovered to date (Haak et al. 2014). PG2001 and PG2004 may be associated with the Samara hunter-gatherers, who are pre-Yamnaya people who lived immediately north of the Caspian Sea.



Progress 2, Russia
N 43.822691°, E 43.350278°
Excavation ‘Nasledie’, Stavropol 2009-10, licence №209-545 (S. Ja. Berezin)
In the same environmental zone as the sites of Marynskaya 3 in the piedmont steppe zone of the North Caucasus, in a distance of 20 km five of the ten mounds of the group Progress 2 were excavated prior to gravel extraction in the former riverbeds of the river Malka. Here, the entire river terraces are dotted with burial mounds of which several have been excavated in the 1970’s. The mounds were located on the first terrace on the left side of the river. Several mounds were clustered, while mounds 5 and 10 were slightly separated. Mounds 1 and 4, from which the sampled individuals stem, were part of one cluster. Most of the burials in all mounds date to the North Caucasus cultural formation, but mound 1 and 4 were firstly built on top of Eneolithic inhumations. Two of them were sampled and produced genome-wide data.
Mound 1 was the largest mound with a diameter of 40 m and a height of 2.2 m. Its construction comprised three phases with two stone shells and a stone circle. In the 18-19th century the place was used as a cemetery by the local Islamic population. The founding grave 37, which was sampled for aDNA analysis, dates to the Eneolithic epoch and is related to the aforementioned group of Don-Caspian-Caucasus Eneolithic complexes. Of the remaining burials in this mound two are associated with the Yamnaya epoch, and eleven graves date to the Middle Bronze Age with inventories attributed to the North Caucasus formation.
Mound 4 was smaller with a diameter of 20 m and a remaining height of only 0.3 m. The founding graves were two Eneolithic burials, graves 9 and 12, which were found side by side and revealed practically identical radiocarbon dating. Both skeletons were thickly packed in red ochre and grave 12 revealed a complex trepanation35. One grave in this mound is associated with Yamnaya, four with the Middle Bronze Age (North Caucasus) and one burial dates to the Sarmatian period. Three individuals from Progress 2 produced genome-wide data:

•PG2001.B0101.TF + B0201.TF (BZNK-113/4), kurgan 1, grave 37, was the Eneolithic founding grave in mound 1 was found in an oval pit, thickly packed in red ochre. The grave goods consisted of a long flint blade, a flint adze, a flint projectile head and another flint object. A radiocarbon doublet of charcoal and human bone revealed a strong reservoir-effect in the human bone date. Dating: human bone 4991-4834 calBCE (6012±28BP, MAMS-110564), charcoal 4336-4173 calBCE (5397±28BP, MAMS-110563)
•PG2002.A0101.TF (BZNK-303/1), kurgan 1, grave 25b. The burial was placed in a rectangular pit attributed to the North Caucasus culture and was equipped with bronze ornaments and a collier of bronze and gagat beads. On top of this grave a second North Caucasus grave 25a without grave goods was discovered. Dating: 2483-2342 calBCE (3929±22BP, MAMS-29815)
•PG2004.A0101.TF + C0101.TF (BZNK-062/1+3), kurgan 4, grave 9, was one of the two Eneolithic founding graves in the mound. The individual was found in a shallow grave pit packed in a thick layer of red ochre. The grave inventory contained the fragment of a ceramic vessel, a long flint blade and a bone object. Dating: 4233-4047 calBCE (5304±25BP, MAMS-11210)

[Myanthropologies]

Very cool study shedding new light on my ancient ancestry. Is there a link to the full study?

[War Chef]

We wuz narts nd shiet

[Kelmendasi]

Very cool study shedding new light on my ancient ancestry. Is there a link to the full study?
I found this https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2018/05/16/322347.full.pdf. I think the paper itself is just a pre-print though

[War Chef]

so?

[Kelmendasi]

Turns out the J2b sample from the middle Bronze Age north Caucasus was J2b2-L283*(Z590+, Z627-). This could help strengthen the argument that L283 expanded into Europe during the Bronze Age via the Indo-Europeans.

[nightrider+]

Turns out the J2b sample from the middle Bronze Age north Caucasus was J2b2-L283*(Z590+, Z627-). This could help strengthen the argument that L283 expanded into Europe during the Bronze Age via the Indo-Europeans.And that Albos came from Caucasus.

[Tauromachos]

Pure Yamnaya people were redskins
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/55/82/cb/5582cb8f9924715b67cd35274157147e.jpg

[Crimson Winds]

There was one theory suggesting Proto-Indo-European as a Northwest Caucasian language heavily influenced by one Eurasiatic language, specifically Uralic. Dunno how these theories are valid -I am not a linguist by the way- but I am sure that there some North Caucasus influence in Indo-European people's.

[Kelmendasi]

And that Albos came from Caucasus.
Yes in 1054AD from Azerbaijan as the scholar Novi Pazar proposes. On a serious note, the haplogroup seems to have been linked to the Catacomb culture which covered the steppe and north Caucasus. It already was in the Balkans by the Bronze Age going by the Croatian sample. Probably spread with IE speaking peoples.

[gültekin]

https://anthrogenica.com/showthread.php?14285-The-genetic-prehistory-of-the-Greater-Caucasus-preprint-Harvard-Jena

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/05/16/322347?rss=1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
while Steppe Maykop individuals harbour additional Upper Palaeolithic Siberian and Native American related ancestry.
People like to play with names instead just to say who are they "Siberian and Native American related ancestry".
butthurt is an strong mental disorder in this case, again

[Kelmendasi]

People like to play with names instead just to say who are they "Siberian and Native American related ancestry".
butthurt is an strong mental disorder in this case, again
Those are words from the paper not me. That ancestry is probably something like ANE.

[nightrider+]

There was one theory suggesting Proto-Indo-European as a Northwest Caucasian language heavily influenced by one Eurasiatic language, specifically Uralic. Dunno how these theories are valid -I am not a linguist by the way- but I am sure that there some North Caucasus influence in Indo-European people's.There is also a theory for a homeland south or southeast of Caucasus gaining popularity. Earliest Z2103 sample is from NW Iran if I'm not mistaken but we can't be sure it wasn't some intrusive element.
In any case the language could have crossed Caucasus to the Steppe somehow and from there to N/NW Europe but others like Greek or Armenian could have come via East. Many related genetic studies are supposed to come out next year.

[Kelmendasi]

There is also a theory for a homeland south or southeast of Caucasus gaining popularity. Earliest Z2103 sample is from NW Iran if I'm not mistaken but we can't be sure it wasn't some intrusive element.
In any case the language could have spread via Caucasus to the Steppe somehow and from there to N/NW Europe but others like Greek or Armenian could have come via East. Many related genetic studies are supposed to come out next year.
Going by the datings of the languages and material culture, it seems more likely that Greek and Armenian also came from the steppe. It may have been only the Anatolian branch that came from the east.

[nightrider+]

Going by the datings of the languages and material culture, it seems more likely that Greek and Armenian also came from the steppe. It may have been only the Anatolian branch that came from the east.I had Hittites in mind actually, Idk why I typed Armenian.
As for Greek, I wouldn't be surprised if both branches played a part in its formation at some point.

[Token]

Going by the datings of the languages and material culture, it seems more likely that Greek and Armenian also came from the steppe. It may have been only the Anatolian branch that came from the east.

Religion too. Hellenic mythology share many elements with Norse and Slavic paganism. Heroic poetry, ancestor worship, sky and thunder god, Dragon Slayer myth, etc.

[Kelmendasi]

I had Hittites in mind actually, Idk why I typed Armenian.
As for Greek, I wouldn't be surprised if both branches played a part in its formation at some point.
Well the Hittites may of as they were part of the Anatolian branch. Greek seems to have been a later PIE language and so a steppe origin with the other later PIE languages is likely, it also shares a lot of similarities linguistically to Armenian as well as material culture suggesting a steppe origin. The origin of PIE south of the Caucasus still needs a lot of evidence to back it imo, it seems that CHG admixture in the Yamnaya wasn't directly from south of the Caucasus but rather from the north Caucasus. The R1b-Z2103 Hajj_Firuz sample doesn't have the admixture associated with the near eastern admixture of the Yamnaya, it also seems to have had Yamnaya-like admixture according to Davidski from Eurogenes. I think a steppe origin of PIE is most likely.

[Kelmendasi]

Religion too. Hellenic mythology is share many elements with Norse and Slavic paganism. Heroic poetry, ancestor worship, sky and thunder god, Dragon Slayer myth, etc.
The Hittite religion also had elements related to other IE religions that came from the steppe, for example the belief that a thunder god will battle a serpent. Makes me think if Anatolian actually came from the steppe rather than somewhere south of the Caucasus. Hopefully further tests in the future reach a conclusion.

[Ryuk]

Religion too. Hellenic mythology share many elements with Norse and Slavic paganism. Heroic poetry, ancestor worship, sky and thunder god, Dragon Slayer myth, etc.

Only dragon slayer myth has clear IE origin,and it is originally a snake slayer myth.
Others are common myths in all parts of the world.

[Ryuk]

The Hittite religion also had elements related to other IE religions that came from the steppe, for example the belief that a thunder god will battle a serpent. Makes me think if Anatolian actually came from the steppe rather than somewhere south of the Caucasus. Hopefully further tests in the future reach a conclusion.

I don't think the Hittites migrated from the Caucasus to Anatolia.As far as I know, ancient human remains in the Caucasus do not carry any steppe components.
I think the route of Hittite migration was the Balkans

[nightrider+]

The Hittite religion also had elements related to other IE religions that came from the steppe, for example the belief that a thunder god will battle a serpent. Makes me think if Anatolian actually came from the steppe rather than somewhere south of the Caucasus. Hopefully further tests in the future reach a conclusion.Ra battled Apep too. Some things are perennial. Not everything comes from the steppe. It's not like we have any concrete evidence for the religion of Steppe people anyway.

[Kelmendasi]

I don't think the Hittites migrated from the Caucasus to Anatolia.As far as I know, ancient human remains in the Caucasus do not carry any steppe components.
I think the route of Hittite migration was the Balkans
Yes that is what I meant.They may have come from the Balkans, but ultimately they came/originate from the steppe.

[Kelmendasi]

Ra battled Apep too. Some things are perennial. Not everything comes from the steppe. It's not like we have any concrete evidence for the religion of Steppe people anyway.
The battle between a thunder god and a serpent only seems to be found among the religions of IE peoples and people who had contact with them(likely that they took this element). I don't think it's coincidental that all IE groups shared this common myth. The fact that only neighbouring groups also shared this myth seems to suggest that they got it through contact with IE peoples and adapted it to their pantheons.

[gıulıoımpa]

The battle between a thunder god and a serpent only seems to be found among the religions of IE peoples and people who had contact with them(likely that they took this element). I don't think it's coincidental that all IE groups shared this common myth. The fact that only neighbouring groups also shared this myth seems to suggest that they got it through contact with IE peoples and adapted it to their pantheons.


aslo the element of conflict between an "older" divinity and his spawn. it's everywhere. it was theorized that "victor" of the conflict the most important/ancestral IE god was what then became Zeus/Jupiter in greek/roman mithology


or even i think something like the myth of Twin Brothers as founders is a recurring in norse and roman mythology but not greek for example

[Token]

Only dragon slayer myth has clear IE origin,and it is originally a snake slayer myth.
Others are common myths in all parts of the world.

Not really.

[Token]

One of the distinctive features of the PIE dragon slayer thunder god was a red beard (see Indra, Perun, Perkuwnos, Donar). That feature is also found in Armenian mythology, even though the dragon slayer isn't the thunderer there (Vahagn).

[Kelmendasi]

Some of the Y-DNA assignments:
1. BU2001.A0101_Beily Ugol 2_North Caucasus - R1b-Y20993
2. GW1001.A0101_Goryachevodskiy 2_North Caucasus - R1b-Z2103
3. I1723_Goryachevodskiy 2_North Caucasus - R1b-L23
4. KBD001_Kabardinka_Late North Caucasus - R1b-Z2103
5. LYG001.A0101_Lysogorskaya 6_North Caucasus - R1b-Z2103
6. MK5009.A0101_Marinskaya 5_North Caucasus - R1b-Y20993
7. KDC001.A0101_Kudachurt 3823.5_MBA North Caucasus - J2b-L283
8. PG2001_Progress 2_Eneolithic Steppe - R1b-V1636
9. PG2004_Progress 2_Eneolithic Steppe - R1b-V1636
10. 12056_Unakozovskaya 6477.4_Eneolithic Caucasus - J2a-Y11200
11. VEK007_Velikent_Kura-Araxes - J1-Z1842
12. ARM002_Kaps_Kura-Araxes - G2b
13. I1635_Kalavan_Kura-Araxes - R1b-V1636
14. RK1001.C0101_Rasshevatskiy 1_Yamnaya Caucasus - R1b-Z2103
15. RK4002.B0101_Rasshevatskiy 4_Catacomb - R1b-Z2103
16. RK4001.A0101_Rasshevatskiy 4_Catacomb - R1b-Z2108
17. SA6003.B0101_Sharakhalsun 6_Catacomb - R1b-Z2103
18. SA6013.B0101_Sharakhalsun 6_Steppe Maykop Outlier - R1a-M459(YP1272?)
19. SA6010.A0101_Sharakhalsun 6_Yamnaya Caucasus - T-L206(Y8614?)
20. I6266_Klady 5200.0_Maykop - J2a-Y11200
21. I6268_Klady 5564.0_Maykop - J2a-Y11200
22. I2051_Marchenkova Gora D13 3260.0_Dolmen LBA - J2a-M410
23. MK5008.B0101_Marinskaya 5_Late Maykop - J1(Z1842?)
24. I1720_Baksanenok_Maykop - K(L?)
25. SA6004_Sharakhalsun 6_Steppe Maykop - Q-L933
26. NV3001_Nevinnomiskiy 3_Lola - Q-L717

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wkLjTA856nW6On8Q10U-WrhyTBWlwCVdK6AMQFCfIaw/edit#gid=202340943