Overview
J2a-Y16197 is a structured downstream component of the J2a-M67 expansion and is prominently associated with populations situated across the eastern Anatolian highlands, northern Mesopotamia and the Armenian plateau. Its early formation corresponds to the later phases of the Holocene highland cultural sequence, when early agricultural communities developed fortified settlements, advanced metallurgical traditions and transhumant pastoral systems. Archaeogenetic parallels place the upstream ancestry of Y16197 within early Chalcolithic and Bronze Age upland societies that played a significant role in cultural exchanges between the Caucasus, eastern Anatolia and the Tigris basin. Downstream diversification likely occurred during the Bronze and Iron Age periods, with Y16197 bearing groups participating in the broader demographic landscape shaped by Kura Araxes related expansions, local kingdoms of the Armenian highlands and the interconnected trade and cultural systems of Upper Mesopotamia. Present day distribution patterns reflect a strong highland continuity, with limited but stable expansions toward northern Iraq and northwestern Iran.