Overview
J1-CTS5368 is an important non-P58 subclade of J1-M267 that is primarily associated with the Levant and northern Arabian–Syro-Mesopotamian transitional zones. Its emergence in the early to middle Holocene likely reflects the differentiation of J1 lineages among populations occupying semi-arid and steppe environments to the north of the Arabian Peninsula, where early pastoralism, seasonal mobility and oasis-centered subsistence strategies began to flourish. CTS5368-bearing groups appear to have occupied a pivotal intermediary position between the highland-focused J1-Z1828 lineages to the north and the more southerly, desert-adapted J1-P58 expansions within Arabia. During the Bronze and Iron Ages, J1-CTS5368 lineages became integrated into Levantine and northern Arabian tribal confederations, caravan networks and frontier societies situated between urban polities of Mesopotamia and the emerging tribal societies of the Arabian interior.
Geographic distribution
In present-day populations, J1-CTS5368 occurs at appreciable frequencies in the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, Jordan), northern and northwestern Arabia, Iraq and parts of southeastern Turkey. It is also found among some Bedouin and tribal populations in northern Arabia and the Syrian Desert, as well as in certain groups in the Sinai Peninsula. Additional lower-frequency occurrences appear in Egypt, the Caucasus, Iran and the wider Middle East, often reflecting ancient or medieval movements along major trade and pilgrimage routes. In diaspora populations, CTS5368 often marks paternal lineages whose ancestry traces back to Levantine or northern Arabian regions, distinct from core Arabian P58 expansions.
Ancient DNA
- Chalcolithic and Bronze Age individuals from the Levant show J1 lineages compatible with early CTS5368 diversification.
- Bronze Age and Iron Age remains from northern Arabia and the Syrian steppe yield J1 variants that likely fall within the CTS5368 cluster.
- Ancient DNA from Levantine urban centers indicates J1 substructure consistent with CTS5368-bearing communities integrated into city–steppe interaction zones.
- Later Iron Age and early historical remains from frontier regions between Mesopotamian states and Arabian tribes suggest the presence of CTS5368 lineages in tribal or semi-nomadic groups.
- Medieval individuals from the Levant and northern Arabia preserve J1 profiles consistent with ongoing CTS5368 persistence and local expansions.
Phylogeny & subclades
J1-CTS5368 constitutes a distinct non-P58 branch within J1-M267 and includes multiple downstream clusters with focal distributions in the Levant, northern Arabia and neighboring regions. Its internal branching reflects a combination of early Holocene differentiation along the Syro-Arabian steppic belt and later expansions linked to Bronze Age pastoralism, Iron Age tribal confederations and historical trade and pilgrimage routes. Compared with Z1828, CTS5368 is more southerly in orientation, yet remains clearly differentiated from the core P58 expansions further into the Arabian Peninsula.
- CTS5368* (basal Levant–northern Arabia form)
- Levantine microclades concentrated in Syria and Lebanon
- Northern Arabian tribal-associated branches
- Scattered Mesopotamian and Sinai-related subclades
Notes & context
J1-CTS5368 is valuable for capturing the intermediate zone of J1 diversity between highland Caucasus-linked branches and deeply Arabian P58 expansions. It provides insight into the paternal genetic landscape of Levantine and northern Arabian populations involved in pastoralist, caravan and frontier lifestyles across the late prehistoric and historic periods. As always, precise historical attributions require careful integration of subclade-level data with archaeological and historical context.
References & external links