New preprint titled 'Ancient DNA indicates 3,000 years of genetic continuity in the Northern Iranian Plateau, from the Copper Age to the Sassanid Empire' reports on 13 newly sequenced nuclear genomes. The study prioritizes samples from northern Iran, focusing on the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid periods (355 BCE–460 CE), along with a new Early Chalcolithic sample from the Zagros area. The Chalcolithic sample from Gol Afshan Tepe belongs to Y-haplogroup R2a2b1 (R-FGC12582). Achaemenid-Seleucid era samples from Marsin Chal (n: 4 male, 1 female) belong to J2b, while Parthian era samples from Liarsangbon (n: 7 male, 1 female) belong to J1a and J2a. PCA analysis shows these ancient samples cluster closely with modern Iranians.
February 4, 2025 1.6K 11
