Overview
J1-FGC9924 is a downstream sub-branch of the highland-associated J1-Z1828 lineage and appears to have formed among agro-pastoral populations inhabiting the Armenian Highlands, eastern Anatolia and the northern Zagros. These populations practiced transhumant herding between upland and valley zones and participated in early metallurgical traditions that later contributed to the Kura-Araxes cultural horizon. The downstream structure of FGC9924 suggests long-term geographic stability, with microclades restricted to mountainous regions. Archaeogenetic continuity from the Bronze Age through the medieval period demonstrates the persistence of this lineage in highland West Asia. FGC9924 strongly reflects the deep demographic structure of populations adapted to rugged upland environments.