Ancient genomics support deep divergence between Eastern and Western Mediterranean Indo-European languages

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Linguistics
• Ancient DNA Analysis
• Population History

Background:

• The Indo-European language family's early diversification is debated, with links to Bronze Age steppe ancestry expansion in Europe.
• Previous studies noted co-existing steppe-derived populations, but their specific roles in language origins remained unclear.
• Understanding the demographic channels for ancestral Italic, Celtic, Greek, and Armenian languages requires detailed population history.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the ancestral genetic histories of Indo-European-speaking groups in Southern Europe.
• To determine the specific steppe-derived populations that contributed to the emergence of Mediterranean Indo-European languages.
• To test linguistic hypotheses regarding language family origins using ancient genomic and isotopic data.

Main Methods:

• Sequencing genomes from 314 ancient individuals from the Mediterranean and surrounding regions (5,200–2,100 BP).
• Co-analysis of newly generated data with published ancient genome data.
• Strontium isotope analyses on 224 ancient individuals to infer mobility and origins.

Main Results:

• A significant east-west division of steppe ancestry was identified in Bronze Age Southern Europe.
• Bell Beaker (BB) populations mediated the arrival of steppe ancestry in Western Europe (Spain, France, Italy), linked to Italic and Celtic languages.
• Armenian and Greek populations directly acquired steppe ancestry from Eastern Yamnaya groups, supporting Graeco-Armenian linguistic hypotheses.

Conclusions:

• The study provides genetic evidence aligning with Italo-Celtic and Graeco-Armenian linguistic divergence models.
• Findings contradict some alternative models for Indo-European language family origins.
• Ancient DNA analysis is crucial for reconstructing prehistoric population and language community diversifications.