While we are waiting for the publication of new ancient DNA paper about Caucasus with more than 100 samples here are some preliminary remarks.

 While we are waiting for the publication of new ancient DNA paper about Caucasus with more than 100 samples here are some preliminary remarks.

All 6 Y dna from the site Guinchi in Dagestan (Shamil region) are J1. Some with good quality are BY100. Which is the branch popular in northeastern Caucasus.

They are apparently from Kura-Araxes culture period. They have medium level steppe ancestry which they obviously got from the preceding Chalcolithic period.

This further strengthen the theory that Nakh-Dagestani speakers descend from the Kura-Araxes culture that expanded in northeast of Caucasus after the 3500BC. We can say that this is not anymore a theory but a proven fact.

Linguistically the age of Proto-NEC is close to that date. The moderate presence of steppe ancestry also explains why modern Daghestani people have steppe ancestry. This is because they had it from the start.

Nevertheless modern levels of steppe ancestry are twice higher than in Early Bronze Age. Which means that modern Daghestani people got extra steppe ancestry later also. The prime candidate is obviously the Catacomb culture which moved to south Caucasus after the 2500BC. Another source of steppe ancestry are the later Iranic and Turkic nomadic incursions in that region.

Despite this advance still some questions remain unsolved. Nakh branch has less steppe compared to Daghestani people. They are also predominantly J2. Which could mean that Nakh people region had an extra influx from south which plausibly introduced that J2.

The origins of Lezgin branch remains unsolved. Whether they moved from north to south or descend directly from the Kura-Araxes people who survived on the southern slopes of Great Caucasian range is unknown.

We can now say with certitude that Udi people linguistically related to Lezgin group are a genetic outlier in NEC family. They have too much Armenian Highlands farmer related ancestry which they most probably got from Armenians. Given their Christian faith was the same as Armenians.

And finally. Despite the close connection of NEC family with Kura-Araxes there is no evidence that the whole Kura-Araxes horizon was speaking NEC related languages