Overview
J2a-Y17533 is a structured upland lineage within the J2a-M67 radiation and reflects the long-term demographic stability of eastern Anatolia and the Armenian highlands. Its earliest formation aligns with early Holocene upland village systems, which supported mixed farming and herding communities adapted to a montane ecological niche. Archaeological correlations include early permanent highland settlements, trans-mountain exchange routes and early copper-working traditions. During the Bronze Age, Y17533-bearing groups appear to have participated in the cultural spheres of the Upper Tigris basin and Armenian plateau, where fortified hilltop settlements and proto-urban centers emerged. Downstream diversification likely occurred within isolated valleys and plateau-edge landscapes. Iron Age and classical populations in the region continued to exhibit continuity with derived microbranches.