Ancient DNA from Mesopotamia suggests distinct Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic migrations into Anatolia
Authors: Lazaridis Iosif , Alpaslan-Roodenberg Songül , Acar Ayşe , Açıkkol Ayşen , Agelarakis Anagnostis , Aghikyan Levon , Akyüz Uğur , Andreeva Desislava , Andrijašević Gojko , Antonović Dragana , Armit Ian , Atmaca Alper , Avetisyan Pavel , Aytek Ahmet İhsan , Bacvarov Krum , Badalyan Ruben , Bakardzhiev Stefan , Balen Jacqueline , Bejko Lorenc , Bernardos Rebecca , Bertsatos Andreas , Biber Hanifi , Bilir Ahmet , Bodružić Mario , Bonogofsky Michelle , Bonsall Clive , Borić Dušan , Borovinić Nikola , Bravo Morante Guillermo , Buttinger Katharina , Callan Kim , Candilio Francesca , Carić Mario , Cheronet Olivia , Chohadzhiev Stefan , Chovalopoulou Maria-Eleni , Chryssoulaki Stella , Ciobanu Ion , Čondić Natalija , Constantinescu Mihai , Cristiani Emanuela , Culleton Brendan J. , Curtis Elizabeth , Davis Jack , Davtyan Ruben , Demcenco Tatiana I. , Dergachev Valentin , Derin Zafer , Deskaj Sylvia , Devejyan Seda , Djordjević Vojislav , Duffett Carlson Kellie Sara , Eccles Laurie R. , Elenski Nedko , Engin Atilla , Erdoğan Nihat , Erir-Pazarcı Sabiha , Fernandes Daniel M. , Ferry Matthew , Freilich Suzanne , Frînculeasa Alin , Galaty Michael L. , Gamarra Beatriz , Gasparyan Boris , Gaydarska Bisserka , Genç Elif , Gültekin Timur , Gündüz Serkan , Hajdu Tamás , Heyd Volker , Hobosyan Suren , Hovhannisyan Nelli , Iliev Iliya , Iliev Lora , Iliev Stanislav , İvgin İlkay , Janković Ivor , Jovanova Lence , Karkanas Panagiotis , Kavaz-Kındığılı Berna , Kaya Esra Hilal , Keating Denise , Kennett Douglas J. , Deniz Kesici Seda , Khudaverdyan Anahit , Kiss Krisztián , Kılıç Sinan , Klostermann Paul , Kostak Boca Negra Valdes Sinem , Kovačević Saša , Krenz-Niedbała Marta , Krznarić Škrivanko Maja , Kurti Rovena , Kuzman Pasko , Lawson Ann Marie , Lazar Catalin , Leshtakov Krassimir , Levy Thomas E. , Liritzis Ioannis , Lorentz Kirsi O. , Łukasik Sylwia , Mah Matthew , Mallick Swapan , Mandl Kirsten , Martirosyan-Olshansky Kristine , Matthews Roger , Matthews Wendy , McSweeney Kathleen , Melikyan Varduhi , Micco Adam , Michel Megan , Milašinović Lidija , Mittnik Alissa , Monge Janet M. , Nekhrizov Georgi , Nicholls Rebecca , Nikitin Alexey G. , Nikolov Vassil , Novak Mario , Olalde Iñigo , Oppenheimer Jonas , Osterholtz Anna , Özdemir Celal , Özdoğan Kadir Toykan , Öztürk Nurettin , Papadimitriou Nikos , Papakonstantinou Niki , Papathanasiou Anastasia , Paraman Lujana , Paskary Evgeny G. , Patterson Nick , Petrakiev Ilian , Petrosyan Levon , Petrova Vanya , Philippa-Touchais Anna , Piliposyan Ashot , Pocuca Kuzman Nada , Potrebica Hrvoje , Preda-Bălănică Bianca , Premužić Zrinka , Price T. Douglas , Qiu Lijun , Radović Siniša , Raeuf Aziz Kamal , Rajić Šikanjić Petra , Rasheed Raheem Kamal , Razumov Sergei , Richardson Amy , Roodenberg Jacob , Ruka Rudenc , Russeva Victoria , Şahin Mustafa , Şarbak Ayşegül , Savaş Emre , Schattke Constanze , Schepartz Lynne , Selçuk Tayfun , Sevim-Erol Ayla , Shamoon-Pour Michel , Shephard Henry M. , Sideris Athanasios , Simalcsik Angela , Simonyan Hakob , Sinika Vitalij , Sirak Kendra , Sirbu Ghenadie , Šlaus Mario , Soficaru Andrei , Söğüt Bilal , Sołtysiak Arkadiusz , Sönmez-Sözer Çilem , Stathi Maria , Steskal Martin , Stewardson Kristin , Stocker Sharon , Suata-Alpaslan Fadime , Suvorov Alexander , Szécsényi-Nagy Anna , Szeniczey Tamás , Telnov Nikolai , Temov Strahil , Todorova Nadezhda , Tota Ulsi , Touchais Gilles , Triantaphyllou Sevi , Türker Atila , Ugarković Marina , Valchev Todor , Veljanovska Fanica , Videvski Zlatko , Virag Cristian , Wagner Anna , Walsh Sam , Włodarczak Piotr , Workman J. Noah , Yardumian Aram , Yarovoy Evgenii , Yavuz Alper Yener , Yılmaz Hakan , Zalzala Fatma , Zettl Anna , Zhang Zhao , Çavuşoğlu Rafet , Rohland Nadin , Pinhasi Ron , Reich David 
Published: August 2022

We present the first ancient DNA data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of Mesopotamia (Southeastern Turkey and Northern Iraq), Cyprus, and the Northwestern Zagros, along with the first data from Neolithic Armenia. We show that these and neighboring populations were formed through admixture of pre-Neolithic sources related to Anatolian, Caucasus, and Levantine hunter-gatherers, forming a Neolithic continuum of ancestry mirroring the geography of West Asia. By analyzing Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic populations of Anatolia, we show that the former were derived from admixture between Mesopotamian-related and local Epipaleolithic-related sources, but the latter experienced additional Levantine-related gene flow, thus documenting at least two pulses of migration from the Fertile Crescent heartland to the early farmers of Anatolia.