A Greek Sample in the Armenian Genetic Cluster

A Greek Sample in the Armenian Genetic Cluster

One of the Greek samples in Hovhannisyan et al. (2024) falls within the modern Armenian cluster on the PCA. I was unable to find detailed information about this individual, except that the Greek DNA used in the paper was taken from Lazaridis et al. (2014, Nature).

Based on its position on the PCA, the sample does not appear to belong to Cappadocian Greeks. It also does not resemble Trabzon Greeks. The most likely possibility is that the individual belongs to the Urum population from southwestern Georgia.

The Urums settled in the Tsalka region of Georgia after the Russian–Turkish wars of the 19th century. We have one Urum individual in our group whose DNA appears similar to that sample. Of course, this remains only a hypothesis and requires further verification.

It should also be noted that Urums should not be confused with the Urumu tribe of the Iron Age. The word Urum derives from Rome / the Roman Empire, whereas the name Urumu has an uncertain origin, although it may possibly be related to Aramu.

In the second PCA, the main modern Greek cluster can be observed, clearly separate from modern Armenians. Compared with Mycenaean-period Greeks, the modern Greek cluster appears somewhat shifted toward the north.

Another Greek sample appears to be almost certainly of Anatolian origin, as it plots approximately between the Armenian and Greek clusters.