Overview
Haplogroup R-Z2113 is the principal downstream branch of R-Z2110 and represents one of the more persistent and regionally structured lineages within the southeastern European component of R-Z2103. Its formation period aligns with the later Bronze Age, an era characterized by increasing regionalization across the Balkans and sustained cultural interaction between steppe-derived groups and local southeastern European populations. The internal diversity of Z2113 suggests that this lineage became rooted in several key population centers across the Balkans. Its subclades show patterns consistent with early Thracian, Dacian and Illyrian interaction zones, indicating that it formed part of the dynamic paternal landscape shaping pre-Roman southeastern Europe. Archaeogenetic signals from Bronze and Iron Age Balkan populations align well with the expected distribution of Z2113-bearing groups. Z2113's modern distribution reflects both ancient settlement patterns and later historical processes, including Roman era mobility, medieval population shifts and the formation of regional Balkan communities. Its persistence highlights the resilience of Z2103-derived paternal lines in southeastern Europe for at least 3,500 years.