Overview
G-FT72561 is a lineage whose earliest development corresponds to the late Neolithic–early Chalcolithic populations of central-western Anatolia. Archaeogenetic comparisons show that the genomic environment of this branch was shaped by communities tied to early metallurgical experimentation, obsidian exchange routes from central Anatolia, and later the sociopolitical consolidation associated with pre-Hittite polities. The lineage likely crystallized within mixed agro-pastoral groups that occupied the northwestern Anatolian highland fringe.
The major demographic pulse that defines G-FT72561’s tmrca falls into the late Classical to early Hellenistic periods, when demographic mobility intensified in the northern Aegean through cross-regional federations, coastal administrative centers and Ionian trade networks. The lineage’s internal structure points to founder effects linked to coastal settlement clusters and overland movement through Thrace and the Propontis gateway.
Geographic distribution
Modern carriers appear in northwestern Turkey (particularly Bithynia, Mysia and the inland Sea of Marmara zone), northern Greece, Aegean islands and southern Bulgaria. A minor but stable presence exists in Italy, especially in regions historically influenced by Greek colonization and later by Roman naval networks. The geographic pattern suggests enduring continuity along the maritime and overland corridors linking Anatolia and the northern Aegean basin.
Ancient DNA
- Neolithic–Chalcolithic sites in northwest Anatolia display upstream M406 ancestry consistent with the lineage’s deep structure.
- Late Bronze Age samples from Troy and the surrounding Troad present upstream SNP configurations that cluster near FT72561’s ancestral paths.
- Hellenistic burials from the northern Aegean islands show STR-based affinities compatible with downstream FT72561 microbranches.
Phylogeny & subclades
FT72561 splits into three principal clades: a northwest Anatolian core, a Thraco-Aegean derivative and a smaller westbound branch associated with classical diaspora movements. Internal divergence dates reveal clustering around the Hellenistic–Roman transitional centuries. The phylogeny matches the historical pattern of Anatolian-rooted male lineages integrating into coastal and island populations.
- G-FT72561* northwest Anatolian highland-rooted core
- G-FT72561a Thraco-Aegean coastal expansion line
- G-FT72561b Aegean island and Ionian maritime branch
- rare west Mediterranean microbranches related to classical mobility
Notes & context
This lineage contributes a crucial bridge between early Anatolian metallurgical cultures and the later demographic synthesis of the northern Aegean.
References & external links