Overview
J2b-Z42244 is a coastal and southern Balkan centered lineage within the J2b-M241 complex. Its formation aligns with late Neolithic and early Chalcolithic demographic expansions along the Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean coasts, reflecting settlement systems that combined maritime trade, riverine transport and early agricultural intensification.
During the Bronze Age, Z42244-bearing populations appear in demographic networks involving Mycenaean polities, Aegean island communities and western Anatolian coastal settlements. Downstream diversification indicates localized founder effects in island populations, coastal plains and upland river valleys feeding into the Aegean basin. Iron Age and classical populations in southern Greece, Thrace and western Anatolia preserve descendant branches.
Geographic distribution
Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, western Turkey; minor presence in Italy, Montenegro and Cyprus.
Ancient DNA
- Balkan Neolithic individuals show J2b-M241 patterns that precede the diversification of Z42244.
- Aegean Bronze Age genomes reveal paternal lineages aligning with this branch.
- Western Anatolian Bronze Age remains carry upstream variants linked to the clade.
- Iron Age southern Balkan coastal sites contain derived subbranches.
- Classical Greek and Aegean communities maintain microbranch continuity.
Phylogeny & subclades
A coastal and valley-oriented J2b-M241 lineage with diversification across the Aegean, southern Balkans and western Anatolia.
- Z42244*
- Aegean island microclades
- Balkan-Anatolian derivatives
Notes & context
Z42244 is a key paternal marker for understanding Aegean-Balkan-Anatolian demographic interaction zones.
References & external links