Abkhaz DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Abkhazia · Caucasus
The Abkhaz live on the north-eastern coast of the Black Sea, between the Caucasus mountains and the sea, and speak Abkhaz, a North-West Caucasian language related to Abaza and Circassian, known for its very large number of consonants and very few vowels. Here, language and genes point in different directions. In our model, the Abkhaz average is 56.7% Caucasus hunter-gatherer, 26.7% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 5.8% steppe-related, 5.0% Levantine Neolithic, 4.0% Natufian and 1.8% East Asian: far more Caucasus-related and much less steppe and East Asian ancestry than in their linguistic relatives the Circassians (39.0%, 21.4% and 6.4%), and much closer to their southern neighbours. After a second Abkhaz sample (distance 0.0061), the nearest averages are the Svans (0.0116 to 0.0147) and Mingrelians from Zugdidi (0.0191), who speak Kartvelian languages, while no Circassian group appears among the ten closest. The closest ancient groups are Late Antique Alans from Zaragizh (0.0229) and Hellenistic-era people from Zhinvali in Georgia (0.0231).
- Largest ancient components in our model: Caucasus hunter-gatherers 56.7%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 26.7%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 5.8%
- Closest non-Abkhaz population in our data: Svan (other sample set), distance 0.0116
- Closest ancient group in our data: Kabardino-Balkaria LIA-Late Antiquity Alan Zaragizh, distance 0.0229
Where does Abkhaz DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Abkhaz individuals sampled in Abkhazia, listed in the G25 sheet as "Abkhasian" and compare them with deep ancestral reference populations, with other modern groups and with ancient genomes. It is one of 335 populations in our atlas.
Ancient make-up of the Abkhaz average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Abkhaz average comes out as 56.7% Caucasus hunter-gatherers, 26.7% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 5.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya). The Caucasus hunter-gatherers component reflects the hunter-gatherers of the Caucasus, a deep ancestry shared by the Caucasus, Anatolia and the Iranian plateau. The Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (26.7%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
Smaller traces of Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) and East Asian (under 5% each) also appear. At that level they can reflect real minor ancestry, but also simple model noise, so they should not be over-read. The model fits well (fit distance 0.024), so these proportions are a reasonable summary. The model draws on West Eurasian ancient genomes, with modern West African and East Asian stand-ins.
Ararat – Levant & Caucasus Report
Closest modern populations to Abkhaz
Genetically, the Abkhaz average sits nearest to Abkhazian at 0.006, Svan (other sample set) at 0.012 and Georgian (Svaneti) at 0.012. On our scale, a distance of 0.006 counts as very close. Even the tenth closest, Abkhasian (Gudauta), is only 0.029 away: Abkhaz belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abkhazian | 0.0061 | Very close |
| 2 | Svan (other sample set) | 0.0116 | Very close |
| 3 | Georgian (Svaneti) | 0.0118 | Very close |
| 4 | Svan | 0.0147 | Very close |
| 5 | Georgian (Megr) | 0.0191 | Very close |
| 6 | Mingrelian (Zugdidi) | 0.0191 | Very close |
| 7 | Mingrelian (Potskhoetseri) | 0.0200 | Very close |
| 8 | Mingrelian (Norio) | 0.0201 | Very close |
| 9 | Georgian (Lechkhumi) | 0.0239 | Very close |
| 10 | Abkhasian (Gudauta) | 0.0291 | Close |
Distances are Euclidean distances between averaged G25 coordinates. On our scale, below 0.025 is very close, below 0.050 close, below 0.080 moderate, and beyond that distant.
Closest ancient populations to Abkhaz
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Abkhaz, Kabardino-Balkaria LIA-Late Antiquity Alan Zaragizh (Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD) comes first, at 0.023, with Georgia Hellenistic Zhinvali (Pharnavazid-Artaxiad) next. That is a very close match, which suggests strong genetic continuity between those ancient people (or close relatives of theirs) and the modern population. A close ancient match is not proof of direct descent: it means those individuals carried a similar overall mix of ancestry.
| # | Ancient sample or group | Period | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kabardino-Balkaria LIA-Late Antiquity Alan Zaragizh | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0229 |
| 2 | Georgia Hellenistic Zhinvali (Pharnavazid-Artaxiad) | Hellenistic era, c. 330-30 BC | 0.0231 |
| 3 | Georgia Late Antiquity Khimshiaant (Pharnavazid-Chosroid) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0259 |
| 4 | Georgia Late Antiquity Zhinvali (Arsacid-Chosroid) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0278 |
| 5 | Georgia Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Lafanaantkari (Chosroid) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0286 |
| 6 | Georgia Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Samshvilde (Chosroid) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0299 |
| 7 | Georgia EIA Bazaleti | Early Iron Age | 0.0311 |
| 8 | Adygea EBA Maykop Late | Early Bronze Age | 0.0313 |
| 9 | Georgia EIA Treli | Early Iron Age | 0.0316 |
| 10 | Georgia Early Medieval Khuntsi | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0318 |
Compare yourself with Abkhaz
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Abkhaz average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Abkhaz and its neighbours. To find out which of our reports actually fits your DNA, run the free Report Finder: it runs the same fit test that every report uses before an order.
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About these numbers
Keep in mind that a population average is a statistical summary of a limited number of sampled individuals. Real people inside any group vary, some carry more of one ancestry and some less, and no genetic profile decides who is or is not Abkhaz. Use these numbers as a map of deep ancestry, not as a label.
Method: averaged G25 coordinates, Euclidean distances to other modern and ancient averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations (data generated 2026-10-01). Read the full method.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Abkhaz average. Your own DNA has its own story: Ararat – Levant & Caucasus Report (15€) models your genome against the ancient sources and modern communities of the region, era by era, in a personal PDF report.
A report built for people of Levant or Caucasus ancestry: ancient regional core (Levant Iron Age, Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer, Kura-Araxes Bronze Age) versus non-regional outside admixture, across 13 communities (Maronite, Druze, Sunni...
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Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Abkhaz?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Abkhaz average is about 56.7% Caucasus hunter-gatherers, 26.7% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 5.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Abkhaz?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Abkhaz average are Abkhazian, Svan (other sample set) and Georgian (Svaneti). The closest ancient matches are Kabardino-Balkaria LIA-Late Antiquity Alan Zaragizh, Georgia Hellenistic Zhinvali (Pharnavazid-Artaxiad) and Georgia Late Antiquity Khimshiaant (Pharnavazid-Chosroid).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Abkhaz?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Abkhaz average and to its neighbours. If you have G25 coordinates, paste them in the comparison box on this page to check that for free.
Which ExploreYourDNA report suits Abkhaz ancestry?
For the Abkhaz average, the regional report to choose is Ararat – Levant & Caucasus Report, which our fit test rates as an excellent match. Your own DNA may differ from the average, so the free Report Finder checks every report against your file before you buy.
Where does the data on this page come from?
From the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the sampled individuals: genetic distances to other modern and ancient population averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations. The full method is described at https://www.exploreyourdna.com/populations#method.