Overview
J2a-Y15831 represents a key highland-centered lineage within the J2a-M67 radiation. Its formation took place during the consolidation of early Holocene agricultural communities across the Armenian plateau, the Upper Tigris region and surrounding uplands of eastern Anatolia. Environmental stability in these upland basins enabled continuity of small-scale agro-pastoral groups who became important contributors to the later demographic landscapes of the Bronze Age. The structure of Y15831 suggests that it diversified within isolated highland micro-regions rather than participating in large coastal expansions. By the Bronze Age, the lineage was deeply embedded in cultural zones linked to Kura–Araxes derived communities and early fortified settlements. Iron Age demographic layers show continued presence across mountain valleys and upland plains, reflecting long-term population stability and localized continuity.