A man buried in Russia in the Iron Age era

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Reference library / Sample profile

A man buried in Russia in the Iron Age era

Explore the recorded context, genetic comparisons and research behind this reference sample.

RussiaRussia Maikop

A reference profile describes this sample. It does not establish a personal or family relationship.

View sample details Explore Shared Roots
AI portrait reconstruction for A man buried in Russia in the Iron Age era
AI-generated artistic reconstruction, not a photograph of the individual.
Record

Sample details

Recorded details and available lineage markers.

Individual

Maikop individual, Russia

Sample ID: OSS002

Date Range

3932 BCE - 3656 BCE

Cultural Period

Russia Maikop

Biological Sex

Male

mtDNA Haplogroup

Not available

Y-DNA Haplogroup

J-M410

Social Role

Pastoralist (AI estimate, era-typical)

Geography

Location

Where this individual was discovered

Country Russia
Locality Ossetia'. Piedmont
Coordinates 43.0844, 44.6327
Chronology

Date range

When this individual lived in the broader context of human history

Maikop individual, Russia 3932 BCE - 3656 BCE
Context

Historical context

Background information associated with the reference record.

Region & Environment

Maikop-related communities are associated primarily with the North Caucasus, a mountainous region with fertile valleys and varied upland pastures. Rivers and seasonal water availability supported agriculture in suitable lowlands while grazing supported pastoral activities in higher or more open zones. This environmental mix encouraged both settled farming and the management of herds.

Historical Context

Around the early to mid–third millennium BCE, the North Caucasus became a zone of intense interaction within broader steppe and Near Eastern–influenced exchange spheres. Within this context, Maikop assemblages are often discussed as part of a regional Bronze Age complex characterized by elevated mortuary expression and imported or high-value raw materials. Precise historical events and named polities are not securely recoverable from the archaeological record alone.

Populations & Lifeways

Populations likely combined cultivation with herding, and households would have depended on local landscapes for both crop and pasture. Social differentiation is suggested most clearly in burial contexts, where some individuals received more elaborate treatment than others. Craft production—especially for metalwork and prestige goods—implies specialized labor within or supported by the community and its networks.

Archaeology & Material Culture

Archaeologically, the Maikop Culture is defined by a recognizable set of artifact types and mortuary practices. Cemeteries and tombs demonstrate elaborate funerary architecture and grave goods, including metal objects and items made from valuable materials. Assemblages frequently include ceramics and ornamentation that reflect both local styles and wider interaction. The presence of non-local or rare materials supports the idea of long-distance exchange.

Culture & Society

Maikop mortuary practice indicates social roles where wealth and symbolic display were concentrated in certain individuals or lineages. Craft and exchange networks likely helped maintain access to prestige goods and raw materials, reinforcing elite status. Cultural identity is visible through recurring styles in artifacts and through consistent approaches to burial treatment across related sites.

Legacy & Transition

After c. 3000 BCE, the North Caucasus and surrounding regions underwent reorganization, with later archaeological cultures showing different mortuary and material patterns. Maikop-associated developments nevertheless left a legacy in regional craft traditions and in the importance of interregional connections that continued to shape Bronze Age societies in the broader Caucasus region.

Analysis

Genetic comparisons

These comparisons show genetic similarity, not identity or origin. The populations listed are those whose genomes show statistical alignment to this ancient individual.

Similarity reflects shared history, not shared identity. These are analytical comparisons, not claims about who this person was.

Modern Genetic Admixture

This analysis compares the DNA profile with present-day reference populations, showing statistical similarity to modern reference populations from different regions. The excavation site records where this individual was found, not a fixed modern genetic identity.

Asia 90.6%
Northern West Asian 64.0%
Mesopotamian 42.5%
Caucasian 10.3%
Cypriot 8.2%
Anatolian 3.0%
Arab, Egyptian & Levantine 26.3%
Levantine 13.6%
Arabian 12.7%
Africa 7.2%
North African 7.2%
Egyptian 7.2%
Europe 2.2%
Northwestern European 2.2%
Northwestern European 2.2%

Closest Modern Populations

These are the modern populations showing the closest statistical alignment to A man buried in Russia in the Iron Age era, ranked by genetic distance. Lower distance values indicate closer statistical similarity. Cross-region similarity can reflect shared ancestry, population movement, continuity, or later admixture.

1
Georgian Jew
2.3983
2
Armenian Syunik
2.4374
3
Armenian Gesaria
2.4811
4
Armenian Ararat
2.5271
5
Armenian Erzurum
2.5383
6
Armenian Aintab
2.6430
7
Turkish Erzurum
2.6936
8
Mountain Jew Dagestan
2.8302
9
Armenian Artsakh
2.8481
10
Armenian Gurin
2.8698
Context

Related Samples

This individual exists within a broader network of ancient samples. No ancient genome stands alone.

Individual Culture/Period Date Location Action
Kaps EBA Kura Araxes individual, Armenia Early Bronze Age Armenia 3625 BCE South Caucasus mountains. Kaps, Armenia View
Ancient Near Eastern Civilization individual, Armenia Early Bronze Age Armenia 3356 BCE South Caucasus mountains. Kaps, Armenia View
Maikop Steppe-2 individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3514 BCE Kaspi steppe. Aygurskij 2, Russia View
Maikop Steppe individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3630 BCE Kaspi steppe. Aygurskij 2, Russia View
Caucasus MBA individual, Russia North Caucasus Culture, Russia 2866 BCE Piedmont. Belij Ugol 2, Russia View
Caucasus EBA individual, Russia North Caucasus Culture, Russia 2883 BCE Piedmont. Gorjačevodskij 1, Russia View
Adygea Eneolithic individual, Russia Eneolithic Caucasus, Russia 4539 BCE Unakozovskaya, Russia View
Krasnodar Krai LBA Dolmen individual, Russia Late Bronze Age Dolmen Culture, Caucasus, Russia 1450 BCE North Caucasus. Marchenkova Gora, Russia View
Adygea Eneolithic individual, Russia Eneolithic Caucasus, Russia 4676 BCE Unakozovskaya, Russia View
Adygea Eneolithic individual, Russia Eneolithic Caucasus, Russia 4607 BCE Unakozovskaya, Russia View
Adygea Maikop Novosvobodnaya individual, Russia Maikop-Novosvobodnaya Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3504 BCE Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana, Russia View
Adygea Maikop Novosvobodnaya individual, Russia Maikop-Novosvobodnaya Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3625 BCE Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana, Russia View
Proto-Indo-European individual, Russia Maikop-Novosvobodnaya Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3516 BCE Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana, Russia View
Adygea Maikop Novosvobodnaya individual, Russia Maikop-Novosvobodnaya Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3318 BCE Klady. Dlinnaya Polyana, Russia View
Steppe Maikop-o individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3617 BCE North Caucasus steppe. Ipatovo 3, Russia View
MBA Caucasus individual, Russia Middle Bronze Age North Caucasus, Russia 2197 BCE North Caucasus mountains. Kabardinka, Russia View
MBA Caucasus individual, Russia Middle Bronze Age North Caucasus, Russia 2192 BCE North Caucasus mountains. Kabardinka, Russia View
Caucasus MBA individual, Russia Middle Bronze Age North Caucasus, Russia 1950 BCE Piedmont/mountains. Kudachurt, Russia View
MBA Caucasus individual, Russia Middle Bronze Age North Caucasus, Russia 1900 BCE Piedmont/mountains. Kudachurt, Russia View
Caucasus MBA individual, Russia North Caucasus Culture, Russia 2866 BCE Piedmont. Lysogarskaya, Russia View
Catacomb Steppe individual, Russia Catacomb Culture, Russian Steppe 2580 BCE Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 3, Russia View
Late Maikop Caucasus individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3400 BCE Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5, Russia View
Late Maikop Caucasus individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3400 BCE Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5, Russia View
Late Maikop Caucasus individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3369 BCE Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5, Russia View
Caucasus MBA individual, Russia North Caucasus Culture, Russia 2879 BCE Piedmont. Mar'inskaja 5, Russia View
Stavropol Krai BA Steppe Lola individual, Russia Lola Culture, Russian Steppe 2127 BCE North Caucasus steppe. Nevinnommiskij 3, Russia View
Caucasus Maikop individual, Russia Maikop Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3704 BCE Piedmont. Ossetia, Russia View
Eneolithic Steppe individual, Russia Eneolithic Russian Steppe 4994 BCE Piedmont. Progress 2, Russia View
EBA North Caucasus individual, Russia North Caucasus Culture, Russia 2476 BCE Piedmont. Progress 2, Russia View
Stavropol Krai Eneolithic Steppe individual, Russia Eneolithic Russian Steppe 4240 BCE Piedmont. Progress 2, Russia View
EBA Caucasus Yamnaya individual, Russia Early Bronze Age Yamnaya Culture, Caucasus, Russia 2881 BCE Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 1, Russia View
Stavropol Krai Caucasus EBA individual, Russia North Caucasus Culture, Russia 2899 BCE Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 1, Russia View
EBA Caucasus Yamnaya individual, Russia Early Bronze Age Yamnaya Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3331 BCE Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 1, Russia View
Catacomb Steppe individual, Russia Catacomb Culture, Russian Steppe 2451 BCE Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 4, Russia View
Catacomb Steppe individual, Russia Catacomb Culture, Russian Steppe 2662 BCE Kuban steppe. Rasshevatskij 4, Russia View
Steppe Maikop individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3520 BCE Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6, Russia View
Proto-Indo-European individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Russia 3332 BCE Sinjucha. Kuban steppe, Russia View
Steppe Catacomb individual, Russia Catacomb Culture, Russian Steppe 2470 BCE Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6, Russia View
Steppe Maikop individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3359 BCE Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6, Russia View
Stavropol Krai EBA-o individual, Russia Russian Yamnaya 2886 BCE Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6, Russia View
Steppe Maikop-o individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3360 BCE Kaspi steppe. Šarachalsun 6, Russia View
Proto-Indo-European individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Russia 3349 BCE Sinjucha. Kuban steppe, Russia View
Proto-Indo-European individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Russia 3350 BCE Sinjucha. Kuban steppe, Russia View
Caucasus Kura Araxes-2 individual, Russia Kura-Araxes Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3000 BCE Caspian sea shore. Velikent, Russia View
Ancient Near Eastern Civilization individual, Russia Kura-Araxes Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3000 BCE Caspian sea shore. Velikent, Russia View
Stavropol Krai Eneolithic Steppe individual, Russia Eneolithic Russian Steppe 4337 BCE Piedmont. Vonjucka 1, Russia View
EBA Caucasus Yamnaya individual, Russia Early Bronze Age Yamnaya Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3300 BCE North Caucasus steppe. Zolotarjëvka 2, Russia View
Maikop individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3932 BCE Ossetia'. Piedmont, Russia View
Maikop Steppe-2 individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3650 BCE Mar'inskaja 5. Piedmont, Russia View
Steppe Cultures individual, Russia North Caucasus Culture, Russia 2877 BCE Goryachevadskiy, Russia View
Proto-Indo-European individual, Russia Maikop Culture, Caucasus, Russia 3700 BCE Baksanyonok, Russia View
Late Maikop individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Russia 3332 BCE Sinyukha (Republic of Adygea, Krasnogvardeysky District), Russia View
Late Maikop individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Russia 3349 BCE Sinyukha (Republic of Adygea, Krasnogvardeysky District), Russia View
Late Maikop individual, Russia Late Maikop Culture, Russia 3350 BCE Sinyukha (Republic of Adygea, Krasnogvardeysky District), Russia View
Kura Araxes individual, Armenia 3356 BCE South Caucasus mountains. Kaps, Armenia View
Kura Araxes individual, Russia 3000 BCE Caspian sea shore. Velikent, Russia View
Maykop individual, Russia 3700 BCE Baksanyonok, Russia View
Yamnaya individual, Russia 2877 BCE Goryachevadskiy, Russia View
Page 1
Individual Culture/Period Date Location Action
Maikop individual, Russia The Maikop Culture 3932 BCE Ossetia'. Piedmont, Russia View
Page 1
Sources

References

Scientific publications and genetic data that inform this profile.

G25 Coordinates

These coordinates represent a position in genetic space, a tool for comparison, not a conclusion. You can use these to perform custom admixture analysis in G25 Studio.

OSS002,0.09223342,0.13087446,-0.04982906,-0.0551893,-0.02998618,-0.01737962,0.0015764,-0.0057309,-0.02441264,-0.00687488,0.0019218,-0.00132348,-0.0008337,0.003002,-0.00045426,-0.00393124,0.00506102,-0.00218322,-0.00182082,0.00675358,0.00409642,0.00114994,-0.00117016,-0.00058008,-0.00526255
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