Genetic diversity of ancient populations in the Caucasus and the adjacent steppes during the Eneolithic-Bronze Age (V-II mill. bc): main results and issues of cultural and historical interpretation

The paper provides an overview of the recent DNA analysis of the ancient populations of the Caucasus and the adjacent steppes during the Eneolithic-Bronze Age (V-II mill. BC) and explores the issues of cultural and historical interpretation of the results. Seven specific features of the general paleogenetic picture of the region have been singled out: 1. Development of the genotype of the Caucasian hunters-gatherers not later than 12 000 years ago and its early spread beyond the Caucasus; 2. Existence of genetic continuity in the Caucasus starting from the Upper Paleolithic; 3. Early appearance of the Caucasus and the related Near East (Iranian and Anatolian) genetic component in the steppe genetic pool, not later than VI mill. BC; 4. Preservation of genetic differences between the population of the Caucasus and the steppe population throughout the entire Eneolithic-Bronze Age; 5. Existence of a genetic buffer zone along the northern slopes of the Caucasus occupied either by the steppe population or the Caucasian population depending on historical and climatic conditions; 6. One-way gene flow across the Caucasus only from the south to the north; 7. Predominance of cultural diversity over genetic diversity. It is emphasized that the issues of the cultural and historical interpretation of genetic data are related, in varying degrees, to inconsistency between genetic and archaeological taxonomies, overlooking of the archaeological context by genetic scientists and naive interpretation of differences in DNA as cultural attributes by archaeologists.