Uniparental analysis of Deep Maniot Greeks reveals genetic continuity from the pre-Medieval era

TL;DR

Deep Maniot Greeks show genetic continuity from ancient times, with minimal influence from later migrations, preserving Bronze Age ancestry.

Contribution

The study reveals Bronze Age genetic continuity in Deep Maniots through Y-DNA and mtDNA analysis, highlighting pre-Medieval population structure.

Findings

Deep Maniots have ~80% West Asian haplogroup J-M172 (J2a) paternally, indicating ancient Greek ancestry.

Founder effects in Y-DNA are dated to 380–670 CE, with clan structures emerging around 1350 CE.

Maternal lineages show diverse origins from Balkan, Levantine, and West Eurasian populations.

Abstract

The Deep Maniots, an isolated population at the southernmost tip of mainland Greece, have drawn scholarly interest for their unique dialect, culture, and patrilineal clan structure. Geographically shielded by the Mani Peninsula, they are thought to have been minimally affected by 6th-century CE migrations that transformed Balkan demography. To investigate their genetic origins, we analysed Y-DNA and mtDNA from 102 Deep Maniots using next-generation sequencing. Paternally, Deep Maniots exhibit an exceptional prevalence (~80%) of West Asian haplogroup J-M172 (J2a), with subclade J-L930 accounting for ~50% of lineages. We identify Bronze Age Greek ancestry in Y-haplogroups nearly absent elsewhere, highlighting their longstanding genetic isolation. The absence of northeast European-related paternal lineages, common in other mainland Greeks, suggests preservation of southern Greece’s pre-Medieval genetic landscape. Y-haplogroup phylogeny reveals strong founder effects dated to ~380–670 CE, while the emergence of clan-based social structure is estimated around 1350 CE, centuries earlier than previously thought. In contrast, maternal lineages display greater heterogeneity, primarily originating from ancient Balkan, Levantine, and West Eurasian sources. These results align with historical and anthropological accounts, showcasing Deep Maniots as a genetic snapshot of pre-Medieval southern Greece, offering new perspectives on population continuity and mobility in the Late Antique eastern Mediterranean.

Deep Maniot Greeks preserve Y-DNA and mtDNA from Bronze-to-Roman Age Greece, largely untouched by later migrations. Genetics reveal historical demography, settlement patterns in southern Greece, and the emergence of their unique clan system

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