Description
Haplogroup I1 (mtDNA) is a subclade of haplogroup I, found mainly in the Near East, Caucasus, and Europe. I1 is among the most common I subclades in European populations and has been found in ancient samples from Neolithic and Bronze Age Europe. Like its parent I, it is a relatively rare lineage overall but has persisted through multiple population turnover events in European prehistory. I1 is found at slightly elevated frequencies in populations of the Caucasus and eastern Mediterranean, consistent with a Near Eastern origin.
Interesting Fact
I1 (mtDNA) — not to be confused with Y-DNA haplogroup I1 which is a Scandinavian paternal marker — has been found in ancient Bronze Age samples from the Yamnaya-associated cultures of the Pontic Steppe. This suggests that I1 mtDNA, like several other minor haplogroups, was part of the heterogeneous maternal gene pool that accompanied the Steppe migrations into Europe during the third millennium BCE.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armenians | Caucasus | n=200 | |
| Iranians | Middle East | n=300 | |
| Turks | Anatolia | n=250 | |
| Poles | Eastern Europe | n=400 | |
| Europeans (average) | Europe | n=2000 |
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References
- Haak et al. (2015) — Massive migration from the steppe was a source for Indo-European languages in Europe. Nature 522, 207–211.
- Soares et al. (2010) — The archaeogenetics of Europe. Current Biology 20(4), R174–R183.