Overview
J1-FGC11038 is a downstream branch of the highland rooted J1-Z1828 cluster and arose among agro pastoral populations inhabiting the Armenian Highlands, eastern Anatolia and the northern Zagros. These communities combined valley based agriculture with high altitude grazing, supported by early metallurgical production and fortified upland settlements that are typical of Bronze Age highland West Asia. Their cultural footprint overlaps with regions that participated in or were influenced by the Kura Araxes phenomenon. Over the Bronze and Iron Ages, FGC11038 bearing populations remained strongly anchored to rugged highland landscapes, where ecological barriers limited large scale migrations and favoured localized demographic continuity. The downstream structure of the lineage is composed of compact microclades associated with specific valleys and plateau systems. Medieval skeletal series from the Armenian plateau and adjacent uplands document continuity with FGC11038 related lineages, underscoring the long term stability of highland demographic patterns.