Overview
Haplogroup R-Y5587 is another major internal branch of R-Z2106 and represents an important paternal lineage within the Bronze Age and Iron Age populations of the Balkans, the Caucasus and western Anatolia. Its formation coincides with the period after the initial Yamnaya expansions, when steppe-derived groups were integrating with local cultures in southeastern Europe. Y5587 is especially significant for understanding the demographic origins of several ancient southeastern European groups, including early Thracian, Phrygian and proto-Anatolian communities. Archaeogenetic samples from the Balkans and the Caucasus frequently show lineages ancestral to Y5587, confirming its strong Bronze Age presence. The downstream diversity of Y5587 indicates prolonged regional continuity and multiple independent founder effects across the Balkans, the Caucasus and Anatolia. It remains an important lineage in modern populations from these regions, reflecting both ancient expansions and later historical migrations during classical, Byzantine and medieval periods.