Anatolian DNA represents a significant genetic lineage that emerged in ancient Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). This genetic signature provides insights into early human population movements. Anatolian DNA helps trace the origins of agriculture and its spread. Its presence in modern populations highlights its lasting impact on human genetic diversity.
The Origins of Anatolian DNA
Anatolian DNA traces back to hunter-gatherer populations in Central Anatolia around 13,500 BCE. An Epipaleolithic individual from Pınarbaşı, dated to this period, revealed a distinct genetic lineage known as Anatolian Hunter-Gatherer (AHG). This ancient population differed genetically from other Pleistocene populations.
Archaeological findings suggest agriculture was adopted by local hunter-gatherers, not introduced by large-scale migration. Evidence from sites like Çayönü indicates farming began around 8300 BC in Anatolia, with animal domestication possibly originating in southern Turkey, and was established in central Anatolia by 8300-7800 BCE. While Anatolian Neolithic farmers primarily descended from AHG, minor genetic contributions from Iranian, Caucasian, and Levantine populations were observed.
The Spread of Early Farmers
The spread of Anatolian DNA is closely linked to the “Neolithic Revolution,” a period of widespread agriculture and settled lifestyles. From Anatolia, early farmers migrated into surrounding regions. This process, known as demic diffusion, led these populations into Europe, the Levant, and potentially North Africa.
Early European Farmers (EEF) migrated from Anatolia into Southeast Europe around 7000 BC, gradually extending north and westwards. They reached Northwest Africa via the Iberian Peninsula. Ancient DNA confirms this farming spread correlated with a migration of these farmers, rather than just a cultural exchange. This movement transformed Europe into agricultural communities over approximately 4,000 years, significantly impacting existing hunter-gatherer groups.
Archaeological and genetic evidence indicates that early Neolithic central Anatolians shared the same gene pool as the first Neolithic migrants into Europe. Farming villages in western Greece, for example, date to about 7000 BC, and by 5000 BC, agriculture had spread across most of southern Europe. The Linear Pottery Culture, which introduced agriculture to central Europe, appeared around 5000 BC, with farming reaching southern Britain and Scandinavia by approximately 3800 BC.
Anatolian Ancestry in Modern Populations
Modern genetic studies use concepts like genetic admixture to trace Anatolian ancestry in contemporary individuals. Admixture refers to the presence of genetic material in an individual or population from two or more distinct ancestral populations. By analyzing genetic markers, researchers estimate the proportion of Anatolian DNA in present-day groups.
Anatolian ancestry significantly contributes to present-day Europeans, particularly in Southern Europe, with Sardinians showing high levels. Early Neolithic individuals in Europe and Iberia carry a significant genome-wide ancestry component distinct from earlier hunter-gatherers, common throughout the Near East and Mediterranean today. Early European farmers, for instance, often show high genetic similarity to the Anatolian source, with 70-100% Anatolian ancestry observed in some early farming groups in Germany.
Modern Turkish populations reflect this deep history, blending ancient Anatolian roots with contributions from later migrations from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Siberia. While Central Asian Turkic groups had significant cultural and linguistic influence, their genetic contribution to modern Turks is estimated to be smaller, ranging from 10% to 15% of the average Turkish genome. This indicates most Turkish DNA stems from indigenous Anatolian sources, overlaid by millennia of interactions and population movements.