R1b1c The R1b1c in Sardinia is M18 a clade that is absent in all sub Saharan and other African populations It was only detected in Lebanon Sardinia and Corsica Its ancestral clade is V88 and V88 clades are most common in sub saharn Africa but R1b V88 itself is not sub saharan due to its ancestor P25 ancestor of both V88 and M269 is not sub Saharan African but from the Eastern Eurasia where in turn its ultimate ancestor M207 R1b R1a derives from Thus before R1b P25 V88 entered sub Sahran Africa from Eurasia NearEast it must have split into subclade M18 and moved along the Mediterranean as for the distribution of V88 clades in sub Sahran Africa Cruciani et al 2010 In summary our data indicate a significant male contribution from northern Africa and ultimately Asia to the gene pool of the central Sahel The trans Saharan population movements resulting in this genetic pattern would seem to mirror the spread of the proto Chadic languages and most likely took place during the early mid Holocene a period when giant paleolakes may have provided a corridor for human migrations across what is now the Sahara desert Cruciani et al 2010 note the complete absence of M18 in Africa Table1