Overview
J1-FGC10557 is a downstream branch of the highland-associated J1-Z1828 cluster and originated among early agro-pastoral populations of the Armenian Highlands, eastern Anatolia and the northern Zagros. These groups maintained upland agricultural systems, seasonal high-altitude grazing cycles and fortified settlement patterns characteristic of early highland civilizations in West Asia. Archaeological correlations place this lineage within spheres influenced by the Kura-Araxes cultural expansion. Throughout the Bronze and Iron Ages, FGC10557-bearing communities remained anchored within rugged mountainous terrain, where ecological boundaries limited external gene flow. The lineage's downstream structure displays region-specific microclades molded by persistent highland lifeways. Medieval populations from Armenia and eastern Anatolia preserve derivative FGC10557 branches, demonstrating long-term demographic continuity.