New Kura–Araxes Y-DNA Samples from Ghalichi et al. (2024)
Ghalichi et al. (2024) published seven new Kura–Araxes (KA) ancient samples from Georgia, specifically from the Dzedzevbi site near Dmanisi, along with two additional samples from Velikent in Dagestan.
Because of low genomic coverage, it was not possible to determine the deep subclades of these samples. However, the available data suggest that two male individuals from Dzedzevbi belong to haplogroup J2b2, while another appears to belong to J1, most likely from the Z1842 branch. The Velikent sample is also J1.
Current Y-DNA Dataset from Kura–Araxes Layers
At present, we have 16 Y-DNA samples from confirmed Kura–Araxes contexts. Of these:
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11 belong to J1-Z1842
Most of these J1 cases occur in regions geographically close to the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus range, including:
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Dagestan
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Kakheti
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Berkaber (Tavush)
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one case near Dmanisi
The strong predominance of J1 is almost certainly the result of a founder effect, since J1 appears to have been rare during earlier Neolithic periods.
Other Haplogroups in Kura–Araxes Contexts
When moving away from the eastern Caucasus regions, other haplogroups appear:
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R1b-V1636 — Sevan Basin
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G2b — Kaps, Shirak
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J2-M92 — Doghlauri, central Georgia
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J2b2 — Dzedzevbi (two cases)
According to analyses by Genarchivist researchers, one of the Dzedzevbi individuals belongs to J2b-FT3464, a minor branch found today in West Asia and Europe, while the other belongs to J2b2b-Z2453, an older lineage already present in Neolithic contexts such as the Shulaveri culture and Hajji Firuz Tepe.
Possible Interpretations
What can be inferred from this distribution?
As I have previously suggested, the J1 concentration in the northeastern regions of the Kura–Araxes horizon may be associated with North-East Caucasian (NEC)–speaking populations.
However, the entire Kura–Araxes horizon cannot have been NEC-speaking, because such a scenario would likely have left clear linguistic traces, which are not observed.
The rapid shift in Y-DNA composition when moving away from the eastern Caucasus strongly suggests that another ethnic group (or groups) was also present within the Kura–Araxes cultural sphere.
Possible Candidates
Two main possibilities are usually considered:
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Early Anatolian-speaking populations
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Hurro–Urartian-speaking populations
At present, the available dataset is still too small to establish clear connections between South Caucasus populations and the regions where Anatolian or Hurro–Urartian languages were later spoken (Anatolia, the Levant, and Mesopotamia).
Nevertheless, some patterns are already beginning to emerge.
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