Overview
G2a2b1a52 is a downstream M406 lineage strongly tied to the northern Mesopotamian and Upper Tigris–Upper Zab cultural sphere. It represents a demographic stratum rooted in late Bronze Age and early Iron Age societies inhabiting the arc between Diyarbakır, Mardin, Mosul and the Hakkâri foothills. These regions historically connected Anatolia with Assyria, Aramean states and the Zagros interior, forming a mosaic of multi-ethnic and multi-lingual populations.
The branch appears to represent a paternal signal associated with semi-sedentary agro-pastoral groups and small fortified settlements that characterized northern Mesopotamia throughout the Iron Age. Its pattern suggests that it survived through the complex demographic shifts involving Assyrians, Arameans, Hurrians, Persians, and later Kurdish and Arab expansions.
Geographic distribution
Modern carriers of G2a2b1a52 cluster most strongly around southeastern Turkey (Diyarbakır, Batman, Mardin, Şırnak), northern Iraq (Mosul, Dohuk, Erbil), and parts of northeast Syria. It is observed among Kurdish, Assyrian, Syriac, Turkmen and mixed local populations.
Low-frequency occurrences in the southern Caucasus and western Iran likely reflect ancient regional connectivity rather than primary centers of origin. Its near absence from Europe and coastal Levantine areas underscores its strongly upper-Mesopotamian profile.
Ancient DNA
- Iron Age individuals from the Upper Tigris region exhibit M406 signatures consistent with early G2a2b1a52 branches.
- Neo-Assyrian imperial contexts contain paternal lineages compatible with the Y3105xx block.
- Late Bronze Age settlements around the Upper Zab show upstream G2a2b1a diversity that fits within the proto-G2a2b1a52 range.
- Early medieval Mesopotamian individuals display continuity patterns aligning with this lineage’s formation timeline.
Phylogeny & subclades
Defined by Y310578, G2a2b1a52 forms a distinct internal cluster within the M406 mega-tree. Its branching pattern includes several tight microclusters mapping to specific districts within the northern Mesopotamian uplands. The phylogeny displays signals of moderate founder effects followed by long-term regional stability.
It stands as the counterpart to Levantine and Anatolian branches, anchoring the northern Mesopotamian sector of the M406 phylogeographic map.
- G2a2b1a52* (basal Upper Mesopotamian form)
- G2a2b1a52a (Y310589-linked Tigris basin cluster)
- G2a2b1a52b (Mosul–Dohuk microbranch)
- Private terminal lines among Assyrian and Kurdish families
Notes & context
G2a2b1a52 helps balance the historic-era Near Eastern portrait of M406 by highlighting the role of northern Mesopotamia. Its presence shows how M406 ancestry permeated inland highland–foothill communities during periods of intense political complexity. In personal ancestry analysis, membership in this branch often denotes deep paternal ties to the Upper Tigris–Upper Zab region.
References & external links