Overview
G-FT47490 is a Mediterranean centered subbranch that likely expanded during the classical era. Its phylogeny indicates a founder event dated to roughly the first millennium BCE, aligning with periods of increased mobility across the Aegean, Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas. Although the deeper ancestry of FT47490 remains firmly tied to central Anatolia as part of the M406 lineage, its demographic rise occurred outside of Anatolia.
Evidence suggests that FT47490 spread through maritime trade networks involving Greek, Phoenician and later Roman activities. The lineage shows a structure that strongly correlates with coastal settlement regions and island populations, where demographic continuity allowed specific paternal lineages to persist over long time spans.
Geographic distribution
Today FT47490 is most frequently observed in Greece, the Aegean islands, southern Italy, Sicily, Malta and coastal Croatia. Instances occur in Spain and southern France, often aligning with old coastal communities. A small number of carriers appear in Anatolia and the Levant, likely reflecting the ancestral homeland rather than later expansions.
Its distribution strongly corresponds to zones influenced by classical Greek colonization and early Roman trade networks. Inland European frequencies are low, which supports a coastal maritime expansion model rather than widespread continental migration.
Ancient DNA
- Classical Greek colonial individuals from southern Italy demonstrate upstream SNP patterns leading toward FT47490 derived lines.
- Phoenician influenced coastal burials in the western Mediterranean show Y-SNP signatures that may align with early FT47490 ancestry.
- Roman era DNA studies from southern Italy and the Adriatic coast have identified closely related M406 lineages positioned near FT47490’s ancestral node.
Phylogeny & subclades
G-FT47490 is a moderately structured lineage showing two main divisions: an Aegean centered cluster and a western Mediterranean cluster. The internal splits took place during the classical and early Roman periods. The Aegean cluster contains the older internal branches, while the western Mediterranean branches appear younger and reflect westward maritime expansions.
- G-FT47490* basal Aegean lineage
- G-FT47490a southern Italian and Sicilian branch
- G-FT47490b Adriatic coastal microcluster
- G-FT47490c western Mediterranean derived lineages in Spain and southern France
Notes & context
FT47490 provides a clear example of how M406 lineages continued to diffuse along Mediterranean maritime routes long after the Neolithic. Its structure complements the atlas by adding a classical era maritime component to the G phylogeny.
References & external links