Syunik particularity.

Syunik Particularity

Davidski has produced new G25 coordinates based on the Skourtanioti et al. (2025) paper, including the 25 new samples from Syunik. He removed noisy SNPs that were almost certainly the result of postmortem damage. After this correction, the PCA of the “Hellenistic” era Syunik samples appears more compact and less heterogeneous, while modern Syunik individuals plot within the Aghitu Hellenistic cluster.

The conclusions remain the same as in the previous post regarding the Aghitu cave samples.

Some samples that show a shift toward the Iranian Plateau are probably from the Achaemenid/Orontid period (600–300 BC) rather than the Hellenistic period (300 BC–1 AD). The shift toward the Iranian Plateau is even stronger in a Late Antique sample from Caucasian Albania, specifically from the Shamakhi region. Therefore, it may be argued that Iranian influence was probably stronger in the eastern parts of the South Caucasus than in other regions of historic Armenia and the Caucasus. However, this influence appears to have been transient in Armenia, given that modern Syunik Armenians do not show a strong shift toward the Iranian Plateau.

The reason why Syunik does not display an abrupt genetic change in the post-Urartian period — similar to what is observed in the Araratian Plain, Sevan, and Shirak regions — is probably that Urartu did not exercise strong control over Syunik and did not establish new cities there with relocated populations. As a result, the Etiuni genetic profile persisted longer, and the transition to the modern genetic profile was gradual.

A similar pattern of gradual change may have occurred in other parts of historic Armenia that did not experience strong control by the Urartian Empire. Examples include Artsakh, Utik, and parts of Gugark.

These data support the theory proposed in Petrosyan and Palyan (2023) regarding the post-Urartian genetic shift. We suggested that this shift was a consequence of Urartu’s population relocation policies.

Additionally, it is possible that after the fall of the Biainean dynasty in Van, the Biainean elite relocated to the Araratian Plain — a theory suggested by some scholars. However, this hypothesis requires additional data in order to be confirmed or falsified.

The Middle Bronze Age (2400-1500BCE) in South Caucasus

The Middle Bronze Age (2400–1500 BCE) in the South Caucasus

Now that the DNA files from the Skourtanioti et al. (2025) paper on Georgia and the South Caucasus are available, we can examine them more closely. The focus of this thread is the crucial period of the Middle Bronze Age (MBA), when new Y-DNA lineages of steppe origin (R1b-Z2103, I2a2b) appeared in the South Caucasus and throughout historic Armenia.

The MBA data from Georgia show that only eastern Georgia was affected by steppe migrants. The blue dots indicate sites where steppe ancestry and steppe-associated Y-DNA were present, while the red dots mark sites where they were mostly absent. The second chart presents the same pattern numerically. This distribution is possible only if steppe migrants crossed the Caucasus via Dagestan and the eastern Caucasian passes.

Theoretically, migration through the Central Caucasus is also possible; however, in that case, the migrants would likely have acquired additional CHG (Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer) ancestry, which is not observed. On the contrary, MBA samples from both Georgia and Armenia show an additional shift toward Anatolian farmers. This shift is possible only if the migrants crossed what is now Azerbaijan, where an Anatolian farmer–rich population had been present since at least the Late Chalcolithic and apparently persisted into the Early Bronze Age.

This scenario explains two key findings of the paper:

1. The reason why the average steppe ancestry is lower in MBA Georgia than in MBA Armenia. This difference is due to geographic heterogeneity. Western Georgia, which lacked or had very low levels of steppe ancestry, likely harbored a non–Indo-European population, almost certainly Kartvelian tribes.

2. The paper also notes an excessive shift toward Anatolia during the MBA. This can be explained by migration through regions inhabited by Anatolian-shifted populations. The most plausible candidate is the Leyla-Tepe culture in what is now the Republic of Azerbaijan, which may also explain the presence of haplogroup E1b in MBA Armenia.

P.S. Thanks to Tigran Sg for providing the labeled G25 coordinates and for first identifying this pattern.

Another perspective on 25 Antique era samples from Syunik (Aghitu) from Skourtanioti et al. 2025.

Another Perspective on 25 Antique-Era Samples from Syunik (Aghitu), Skourtanioti et al. (2025)

The majority of the samples occupy an intermediate position between Iron Age Syunik (marked as LIA) and modern Syunik, which is expected. The shift from LIA to modern Syunik may have been caused by a source similar to Turkey Iron Age (IA) populations, including samples from the Van and Batman regions.

The remaining samples display various shifts: some toward the Iranian Plateau, one case with a strong shift toward the Levant, and at least two cases shifted toward Anatolia or even Europe.

I do not think that all of these samples necessarily date to the Hellenistic period. Only one has a radiocarbon date, while the others are dated archaeologically, which can be misleading in cave contexts. However, if they are indeed from the Hellenistic era, this would suggest that the Etiuni genetic profile persisted in Syunik for quite a long time.

Most of the Y-DNA lineages are typical of the Etiuni profile, particularly R1b-L584. The remaining haplogroups may also be local, such as J2-M92 and E1b. I2a1-L699 could likewise derive from the Etiuni population. If the reported G1 haplogroup is accurate, it may originate from northwest Iran, though a local origin is also possible. The paper itself does not mention G1; it was identified by users of Genarchivist.

There is little doubt that most of these individuals were Armenian speakers during their lifetime.

R1b - L584 in distant lands

R1b-L584 in Distant Lands

R1b-L584 is associated with the Trialeti-Vanadzor and Van-Urmia cultural horizons. However, there are several cases of this lineage appearing in distant regions. The most remarkable examples are the presence of L584 in Moldova during the Late Scythian period and in Mongolia during the Uyghur Khaganate period.

These cases cannot have a local steppe origin. They are almost certainly the result of migration from the Armenia–Iran–Caucasus region, given that older samples from Hasanlu and Armenia share common ancestors with these steppe L584 individuals. The question, therefore, is which historical event may have caused this migration.

In my opinion, one possible explanation is the back-migration of Scythians from West Asia to the north. The two cases in Mongolia could be connected either to Scythian movements or to the spread of Manichaean proselytism. The Uyghur Khaganate was a short-lived polity that adopted Manichaeism as its state religion.

https://discover.familytreedna.com/y-dna/R-FGC14617/tree

Remarks on a major paper about Scythians.

Remarks on a Major Paper about the Scythians

Despite more than a dozen ancient DNA papers on the Scythians published so far, the “true” Scythians described in ancient Greek sources — those living north of the Black Sea — have remained poorly sampled. The study by Andreeva et al. (2025) fills this lacuna.

The main finding of the paper is that, despite the relatively homogeneous material culture labeled as “Scythian” by modern archaeologists, the actual populations behind this culture were genetically quite diverse.

The principal Scythian cluster, labeled Scy_Major, displays the expected autosomal profile: predominantly Sintashta/Srubnaya-related ancestry, with minor East Asian and Central Asian farmer (BMAC) components. The most frequent Y-DNA lineage was R1a-Z93, as expected. Other haplogroups identified include I2, G2, J2, N1a, Q1b, and R1b. The presence of G2 and J2 is particularly notable, as these lineages appear to have joined Scythian communities from the northwestern Caucasus. Specifically, they belong to G2-L1266 and J2-Z6046, both typical of that region.

Another interesting finding concerns the Maeotians. Their autosomal profile was characteristically North Caucasian and distinct from that of the Scythians. This supports the theory that the Maeotians were Caucasian populations, most likely affiliated with Abkhaz–Adyghean groups.

In contrast, the so-called Scythians of Moldova and Hungary were apparently local Thracian and Pannonian populations rather than “true” Scythians.

Finally, a finding relevant to Armenian history is that Late Scythians of Crimea possessed some Iran Neolithic–related (possibly South Caucasian–related) ancestry. They may have acquired this component while crossing the Caucasus and later returning to the steppe. If further research confirms this, Herodotus’ account of the Scythians ruling in West Asia for 26 years and then returning northward may find genetic support. The biblical Ashkenaz, described as living near Ararat/Armenia, is also traditionally linked to the Scythians.