Overview
J2a-L26 is one of the oldest and most structurally significant branches of the J2a lineage. It emerged during the early Holocene among communities inhabiting the northern Levant, upper Mesopotamian plains and the western Zagros foothills. Archaeological parallels correspond to early sedentary agricultural societies, including the transition from Pre Pottery Neolithic groups to fully established farming villages. L26’s early diversification suggests that it played a key role in the diffusion of early West Asian agricultural cultures into Anatolia, the Caucasus and the Iranian plateau. During the Bronze Age, L26 bearing populations participated in demographic networks associated with the expansion of metal production, long distance pastoral routes and emerging highland lowland interaction systems. Genetic evidence indicates dispersal into the Caucasus, eastern Anatolia and parts of Iran, with later minor expansions toward the Mediterranean. Because of its great antiquity within J2a, L26 serves as the foundational node from which many later J2a branches evolved, including M67 and L24 related clusters.