Ancient DNA from Greece

185 ancient people from Greece have had their genome published, from 6,366 BC to AD 1299. Here they are on a map and period by period, with their archaeological cultures and haplogroups.

185ancient individuals
34excavation sites
10published studies
6,366 BColdest individual

Main archaeological groups: Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA (34), Greece Crete LBA (32), Greece Peloponnese LBA (11), Greece PalaceofNestor BA (10), Greece Kastrouli BA (9).
Most frequent Y-DNA lines: J2a (32), G2a (19), R1b (8), J1 (5), J1a (5), J2b (4).
Most frequent mtDNA lines: H (14), K1a (9), J1c (6), H5 (5), HV (5), T2c (5).

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

Find the ancient individuals closest to your own town →

Period by period

10,000 to 5,000 BC (15 individuals)

Groups: Greece Crete Aposelemis N (8), Greece NeaNikomedeia EN (4), Greece Peloponnese N (2), Greece North N (1). Y-DNA: G2a (4). mtDNA: K1a (2), K (1), X2b (1).

DateGroupSiteY-DNAmtDNA
6,366 BC Greece North N Revenia X2b
6,268 BC Greece NeaNikomedeia EN Nea Nikomedeia K1a2c
6,157 BC Greece NeaNikomedeia EN Nea Nikomedeia
6,157 BC Greece NeaNikomedeia EN Nea Nikomedeia
6,153 BC Greece NeaNikomedeia EN Nea Nikomedeia
6,031 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion G2a2b
6,031 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion G2a2b
6,006 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion
5,996 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion G2a2b2b1a1
5,975 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion
5,975 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion G2a2a
5,975 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion
5,933 BC Greece Peloponnese N Alepotrypa Cave K
5,901 BC Greece Crete Aposelemis N Heraklion
5,410 BC Greece Peloponnese N Alepotrypa Cave K1a+195

5,000 to 3,000 BC (5 individuals)

Groups: Greece Peloponnese N (3), Greece N (1), Greece North N (1). Y-DNA: G2a (1). mtDNA: H (1), J1c (1), K1a (1), K1b (1).

DateGroupSiteY-DNAmtDNA
4,550 BC Greece Peloponnese N Alepotrypa Cave T1a
4,398 BC Greece N Kleitos G2a2a1a2b K1a2
4,398 BC Greece North N Paliambela J1c1
3,910 BC Greece Peloponnese N Alepotrypa Cave K1b1a
3,784 BC Greece Peloponnese N Alepotrypa Cave H

3,000 to 1,000 BC (159 individuals)

Groups: Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA (34), Greece Crete LBA (32), Greece Peloponnese LBA (11), Greece PalaceofNestor BA (10). Y-DNA: J2a (32), G2a (14), R1b (7), J1 (5). mtDNA: H (11), K1a (6), H5 (5), HV (5).

DateGroupSiteY-DNAmtDNA
2,766 BC Greece EBA Lazarides C1a2 T2b8
2,631 BC Greece NeaStyra EBA Nea Styra F
2,504 BC Greece NeaStyra EBA Nea Styra I
2,471 BC Greece NeaStyra EBA Nea Styra J1a2a1a2 U3a1
2,471 BC Greece NeaStyra EBA Nea Styra J1a2a1a2
2,453 BC Greece PerachoraCave EBA Perachora Cave T2c1+146
2,450 BC Greece PerachoraCave EBA Perachora Cave J1 J1c2
2,450 BC Greece PerachoraCave EBA Perachora Cave G2a2b2a3a J1c
2,450 BC Greece PerachoraCave EBA Perachora Cave T2c1d+152
2,450 BC Greece PerachoraCave EBA Perachora Cave H
2,417 BC Greece NeaStyra EBA Nea Styra J1
2,400 BC Greece Sarakenos EBA Sarakenos J2 H11a2
2,374 BC Greece NeaStyra EBA Nea Styra G2a2b2b1a1a
2,300 BC Greece EpanoKoufonisi EBA Cycladic Potamia
2,300 BC Greece EpanoKoufonisi EBA Cycladic Potamia
2,300 BC Greece ElatiLogkassite MBA Elati-Logkas site
2,300 BC Greece ElatiLogkassite MBA Elati-Logkas site
2,300 BC Greece Manika EBA Manika
2,300 BC Greece Crete KephalaPetrasSiteias Kephala Petras Siteias
2,235 BC Greece TheopetraCave EBA Theopetra Cave I2a1b H5
2,227 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi T2b25
2,200 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi H5
2,200 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J1 T2+16189
2,179 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2b2a1b1~ H13a1a
2,168 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J1 H4a1
2,156 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi
2,124 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J1a2a1a2 H
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi T1a U1a1a+16129
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi HV+16311
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J1a2a1a2 HV1a'b'c
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2 X2
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2b2a1b1~
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2b1b HV+16311
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi T2c1d
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2b1b I5a
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi G2a2a1 H+195
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2 K1a4
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi J2a1a1a2 H
2,100 BC Greece Crete HgCharalambos EMBA Lasithi H5

And 119 more individuals from this period: browse them all in the sample database.

1,000 BC to AD 1 (4 individuals)

Groups: Greece Kastrouli IA (3), Greece Argolid Eleutherna IA (1). Y-DNA: NO (1), R1b (1), T1a (1). mtDNA: J1 (1), J1c (1), U8b (1).

DateGroupSiteY-DNAmtDNA
901 BC Greece Argolid Eleutherna IA Tiryns R1b1a1b
650 BC Greece Kastrouli IA Kastrouli NO J1c
650 BC Greece Kastrouli IA Kastrouli J1
644 BC Greece Kastrouli IA Kastrouli T1a2b1 U8b1b

AD 1 to 1000 (1 individual)

Groups: Greece Achaia LateAntiquity ImperialRoman (1). Y-DNA: T1a (1). mtDNA: H (1).

DateGroupSiteY-DNAmtDNA
AD 340 Greece Achaia LateAntiquity ImperialRoman Vranas Marathon T1a2b1a H

After AD 1000 (1 individual)

Groups: Greece Chios StIsidorCathedral Byzantine (1). Y-DNA: R1a (1). mtDNA: H (1).

DateGroupSiteY-DNAmtDNA
AD 1299 Greece Chios StIsidorCathedral Byzantine St. Isidor Cathedral R1a1a1b2a2a2a~ H

Excavation sites

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.

Which of these ancient peoples are in your DNA?
Our Thalassa (Mediterranean islands) report compares your own raw DNA file with the ancient and modern populations of the region, era by era, and explains your result in plain language with your haplogroups.
See the Thalassa (Mediterranean islands) report

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to visit this site you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

🧭 Find your report
A free guide, no AI, just quick questions to point you the right way.
📬 Stay in the loop

New tools and new reports, straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We never share your email. Privacy details