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Haplogroup Q-BZ4000

Q-BZ4000 (Central Asian–West Asian composite lineage)

Macro-haplogroup

Parent clade

Q-M378

Formed (estimate)

c. 6,000–9,000 years before present

TMRCA (estimate)

c. 2,500–4,500 years ago

BZ4000

Overview

Q-BZ4000 represents a composite West–Central Asian lineage under Q-M378. Its distributions suggest origins in the eastern Iranian Plateau or southern Central Asia, followed by movement into Turkic-speaking populations during the Iron Age. This branch appears at low to moderate frequencies across Central Asia, reflecting historical admixture involving Iranian, Turkic and Indo-Aryan populations.

Geographic distribution

Detected among Uzbeks, Turkmens, Tajiks, northern Afghans, some Kazakh tribes, and western Xinjiang groups. Also found at low frequency in eastern Iran. Its spread patterns track the Silk Road corridor and Iron Age political networks.

Ancient DNA

Ancient genomes from Bactria–Margiana and related Bronze Age horizons display paternal signals compatible with BZ4000-level ancestry.
Later Iron Age steppe populations show Q-M378 variants, likely including BZ4000-related branches.
The lineage reflects multi-directional gene flow across the Iranian–Turanian interface.

Phylogeny & subclades

BZ4000 forms several scattered shallow subclusters due to admixture among Iranian, Indo-Aryan and Turkic communities.

Q-BZ4000*

Notes & context