Ancient DNA from Armenia

Main archaeological groups: Armenia Karashamb LBA EIA (21), Armenia Lchashen LBA (15), Armenia BagheriTchala EIA (14), Armenia Noratus LBA IA (11), Armenia Brardzryal IA Urartian (10).
Most frequent Y-DNA lines: R1b (42), I2a (27), J2a (13), J1a (8), L1a (7), E1b (5).
Most frequent mtDNA lines: K1a (25), N1b (10), T1a (8), U3b (8), H13a (6), H2a (6).

📊 How Armenia's DNA changed over 10,000 years: hunter-gatherers, farmers, steppe herders and later arrivals, period by period.

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Period by period

Excavation sites

• Karashamb 27, 1,266 BC to 1,036 BC
• Noratus 21, 1,425 BC to 275 BC
• Beniamin 18, 1,422 BC to AD 485
• Lchashen 18, 1,350 BC to 1,200 BC
• Bagheri-Tchala 14, 1,036 BC to 925 BC
• Karmir Blur 12, 1,051 BC to 336 BC
• Nerkin-Getashen 12, 1,814 BC to 1,200 BC
• Brardzryal 11, 850 BC to 649 BC
• Areni-1 9, 4,206 BC to 3,925 BC
• Sarukhan 9, 1,185 BC to AD 281
• Dzhoghaz 8, 2,529 BC to 2,375 BC
• Pidjut 8, 1,027 BC to 616 BC
• Black-Fortress 6, 1,175 BC to AD 1782
• Harjis 6, 625 BC
• Karnut 6, 3,000 BC to 616 BC
• Keti 5, 1,320 BC to 306 BC
• Lernakert-Veri Berd 5, 1,345 BC to 1,329 BC
• Lori-Berd 5, 1,178 BC to 644 BC
• Aknashen 4, 5,908 BC to 5,818 BC
• Kalavan 4, 2,526 BC to 2,515 BC
• Agarak Town Stadium 3, AD 1200 to AD 1295
• Aghitu 3, 6 BC to AD 78
• Bover II Cemetery 3, 1,100 BC to 636 BC
• Masis-Blur 3, 5,585 BC
• Kapan 2, 1,059 BC to 958 BC
• Kaps 2, 2,745 BC to 2,567 BC
• Norabak 2, 1,100 BC to 985 BC
• Talin 2, 3,212 BC to 3,173 BC
• Dzori-Gekh 1, 1,425 BC
• Katnaghbiur-1 1, 1,447 BC
• Shengavit 1, 2,500 BC
• Tavshut 1, 1,995 BC
• Tekhut 1, 1,133 BC
• Vardbakh 1, AD 100

Source: Allen Ancient DNA Resource v66 (Mallick et al. 2024), individuals with a date and coordinates; samples the AADR flags as misdated are left out. Group names are those of the original studies. Haplogroups are shown when they could be read from the ancient DNA.