Study reveals genetic and linguistic roots of Indo-European populations

A comprehensive study involving 91 researchers, including Eske Willerslev from the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Center at the University of Copenhagen, has provided crucial insights into the genetic and linguistic origins of Indo-European populations. The results identify two major migrations during the Bronze Age that contributed to the spread of the steppe ancestors throughout the Mediterranean region. Genetic research links Spanish, French and Italian populations to Bell Beaker ancestry, while Greek and Armenian populations are directly linked to Yamnaya ancestry from the Pontic Steppe region.

Analyzes of ancestry distribution in the steppe

According to the study published on the preprint server bioRxiv, the ancestry of steppe animals in Western Europe is attributed to the Bell Beaker populations, which combined their genetic profile with local Neolithic farmers. These migrations are consistent with linguistic theories suggesting a common origin of the Italo-Celtic languages. In contrast, Greek and Armenian ancestry reflects direct Yamnaya influence, without significant local admixture. This divergence between populations in the eastern and western Mediterranean is consistent with the Italo-Celtic and Greco-Armenian language hypotheses.

Genome and strontium isotope studies

The study reportedly sequenced 314 ancient genomes from regions such as Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey, dating from 2,100 to 5,200 years ago. A total dataset of 2,403 genomes was analyzed, along with 224 strontium isotope assessments, to track human mobility. The results showed active migration patterns during the Bronze Age, with non-resident individuals identified in Greece, Cyprus and Italy. One notable find was a Scandinavian individual in Cyprus, suggesting that Mediterranean trade routes extended well beyond local boundaries.

Implications for linguistic migration models

These results support linguistic theories that link Italic and Celtic languages ​​to Bell Beaker ancestry and Greek and Armenian languages ​​to Yamnaya ancestry. The research contradicts alternative hypotheses, including Indo-European and Italo-Germanic models. This study provides a clearer understanding of the genetic and linguistic history of Indo-European populations and provides an important reference for future studies of ancient human migrations