Overview
G2a7 represents a rare but phylogenetically important branch within the early G2a diversification period. Emerging during the late Upper Paleolithic to early Holocene transition, G2a7 likely formed among highland communities inhabiting the northern Zagros, Lake Van basin or the Armenian Highlands. These groups were part of the network of pre-agricultural and proto-agricultural societies that preceded the large-scale Neolithic demic expansions of G2a2 lineages.
The lineage’s modern scarcity suggests long-term demographic confinement, with G2a7 surviving as a minor paternal layer overshadowed by far more expansive G2a2-derived farmer groups. Nevertheless, its presence helps reconstruct the full internal architecture of G2a and illuminates demographic patterns of smaller, early Holocene West Asian populations.
Geographic distribution
G2a7 today is primarily observed in low frequencies across Armenia, eastern Turkey, northwest Iran, and occasionally Georgia and northern Iraq. Its localization corresponds to highland and foothill regions that acted as refugia during climate fluctuations and as centers of early Holocene cultural innovations.
It is virtually absent from Europe, consistent with its lack of involvement in Neolithic agricultural migrations.
Ancient DNA
- Some early Holocene samples from the Armenian Highlands and upper Tigris region display upstream SNPs consistent with proto-G2a7 ancestry.
- Possible G2a7-adjacent signals occur in low-coverage Pre-Pottery Neolithic remains from the northern Fertile Crescent.
- No European Neolithic individuals show evidence of G2a7 or downstream derivatives.
Phylogeny & subclades
G2a7 forms a compact series of shallow downstream branches reflecting localized conservation rather than rapid expansion. Its phylogenetic position between the most basal G2a lineages and slightly younger radiations aids in anchoring the early diversification ladder of G2a.
- G2a7* basal
- Armenian Highland microclades
- Zagros–Van Basin regional branches
Notes & context
G2a7 highlights the deep internal diversity of early Holocene West Asian populations and reinforces how only certain G2a lineages contributed to Europe’s Neolithic demographic boom. Its persistence provides a critical counterweight to the more dominant narratives surrounding G2a2.
References & external links