New preprint titled 'Ancient DNA indicates 3,000 years of genetic continuity in the Northern Iranian Plateau, from the Copper Age to the Sassanid Empire' reports on 13 newly sequenced nuclear genomes.

The study prioritizes samples from northern Iran, focusing on the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid periods (355 BCE–460 CE), along with a new Early Chalcolithic sample from the Zagros area. The Chalcolithic sample from Gol Afshan Tepe belongs to Y-haplogroup R2a2b1 (R-FGC12582). Achaemenid-Seleucid era samples from Marsin Chal (n: 4 male, 1 female) belong to J2b, while Parthian era samples from Liarsangbon (n: 7 male, 1 female) belong to J1a and J2a. PCA analysis shows these ancient samples cluster closely with modern Iranians.

A map made back in 2023 showing the frequency of haplogroup I1 based on the FTDNA Haplotree which is currently the largest yDNA database in the world.

I have made similar maps for 5 other major European haplogroups which I plan on posting soon.

Rough chronology of the beginning of the Bronze Age in various European regions

Figure from a presentation about an upcoming paper on the genetic origin of the Slavs. The figure displays the Slavic expansions based on new aDNA samples from the same paper as well as the admixture events that separated Slavs from Balts.

?????????British archaeologist and paleolinguist Professor Lord Colin Renfrew passed away three days ago, at the age of 87. He developed the Anatolian hypothesis for IE languages, which he later dismissed on the basis of ancient DNA. Despite his age, Renfrew was a firm believer in younger scientific fields such as archaeogenetics and was willing to reject his older theories based on more recent evidence. May he rest in peace. ????????? https://www.cam.ac.uk/news/professor-lord-colin-renfrew-1937-2024