Skip to main content
mtDNA · Maternal lineage

I1A1A3A

mtDNA Haplogroup I1A1A3A

Explore the lineage Browse samples

A reference profile for one lineage branch. Shared haplogroups do not establish a family relationship or cultural identity.

Reference profile

Branch background

Historical context for mtDNA lineage branch I1A1A3A

Origins and Evolution

mtDNA haplogroup I1A1A3A is a downstream derivative of haplogroup I1A1A3, itself a branch of broader haplogroup I. Haplogroup I as a whole is considered to have diversified in the Near East/Anatolia region during the early to mid-Holocene in association with farming populations. Given this phylogenetic position, I1A1A3A most plausibly arose among Neolithic or post-Neolithic communities in the Near East/Anatolia approximately 4–6 thousand years ago and spread at low frequency into adjacent regions during subsequent demographic movements.

The clade is currently represented at very low frequency in modern populations and is sparsely sampled in ancient DNA datasets; this limited sampling means its internal branching and precise time-depth are still subject to refinement as more complete mitochondrial genomes are recovered and analyzed.

Subclades (if applicable)

As a relatively deep but minor subclade of I1A1A3, I1A1A3A currently shows limited documented downstream structure in public mtDNA databases. Where additional branches exist they tend to be rare and locally distributed. Further full mitochondrial genome sequencing of carriers from the Near East, the Caucasus and the Balkans is likely to reveal additional fine-scale substructure and clarify phylogenetic relationships with nearby I subclades.

Geographical Distribution

Empirical observations and reasonable phylogeographic inference place I1A1A3A primarily in the following regions:

  • Near East / Anatolia (origin and moderate persistence at low to moderate frequency in some populations).
  • Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan) where Near Eastern-derived maternal lineages are frequent and local endemics can persist.
  • Southern and Eastern Europe (Balkans, parts of Italy and Mediterranean Europe) where Neolithic farmer lineages contributed to regional maternal pools.
  • Scattered occurrences in Central and South Asia and sporadic presence in North African and Jewish community lineages, usually at low frequency.

The clade is uncommon in Europe overall and is best characterized as a low-frequency Near Eastern-derived maternal marker that became incorporated into neighboring gene pools during the Neolithic and later millennia.

Historical and Cultural Significance

Because I1A1A3A is nested within a lineage associated with the Neolithic expansion of farming from Anatolia, its presence in present-day and ancient samples may serve as a marker of Neolithic-derived maternal ancestry in candidate populations. It is not associated with any single high-frequency cultural expansion (unlike some more widespread mtDNA haplogroups) but rather illustrates the patchy dispersal of low-frequency maternal lineages that accompanied farmers and later migrants as they moved into the Caucasus, the Balkans and coastal southern Europe.

The haplogroup's sporadic detection in Jewish communities and North Africa is consistent with historical mobility and gene flow around the Mediterranean and Near East. Its low frequency and limited ancient DNA representation mean it is of greatest value for fine-scale maternal lineage tracing in genealogical contexts when a direct-match full mitogenome is available.

Conclusion

mtDNA I1A1A3A is a low-frequency, Near Eastern-derived maternal lineage that likely formed during the mid-Holocene among Anatolian/Levantine farming populations and subsequently dispersed in small numbers into neighboring regions (Caucasus, Balkans, Mediterranean Europe, and scattered parts of Asia and North Africa). Continued mitogenome sequencing and ancient DNA sampling are required to refine its branching pattern, demographic history, and the archaeological contexts in which it occurred.

Key Points

  • Origins and Evolution
  • Subclades (if applicable)
  • Geographical Distribution
  • Historical and Cultural Significance
  • Conclusion
Reference profile

Tree & Relationships

Phylogenetic context and subclades

Evolution Path

Follow the recorded parent branches toward I1A1A3A. Dates are estimates and can change as reference data is revised.

Steps Haplogroup Age Estimate Archaeology Era Time Passed Immediate Descendants Tested Modern Descendants Ancient Connections
1 I1A1A3A Current ~4,000 years ago Bronze Age 4,500 years 0 1 1
2 I1A1A3 ~6,000 years ago Chalcolithic 6,000 years 1 1 0
3 I1A1A ~8,000 years ago Neolithic 7,500 years 1 1 9
4 I1A1 ~9,000 years ago Neolithic 9,000 years 3 46 0
5 I1A ~12,000 years ago Neolithic 12,000 years 1 53 28
6 I1 ~16,000 years ago Mesolithic 16,000 years 5 188 6
7 I ~25,000 years ago Paleolithic 25,000 years 7 557 66
8 N1A1B ~9,000 years ago Neolithic 9,000 years 2 581 8
9 N1A1 ~12,000 years ago Neolithic 12,000 years 2 660 0
10 N1A1'2 - - - 2 662 0
11 N1A ~13,000 years ago Mesolithic 13,000 years 2 688 6
12 N1 ~45,000 years ago Paleolithic 45,000 years 3 906 21
13 N1'5 - - - 2 955 0
14 N ~60,000 years ago Paleolithic 60,000 years 16 26,150 13
15 L3 ~70,000 years ago Paleolithic 70,000 years 7 30,162 6
16 L3'4 - - - 2 30,212 0
17 L3'4'6 - - - 2 30,216 0
18 L2'3'4'6 - - - 2 31,333 0
19 L2'3'4'5'6'7 - - - 2 31,349 0
20 L1'2'3'4'5'6'7 - - - 2 31,852 0
21 L ~160,000 years ago Paleolithic 160,000 years 2 32,236 5

Subclades (0)

Terminal branch - no recorded subclades

Reference profile

Where in the World

Geographic distribution and modern presence

Recorded origin

Near East / Anatolia

Modern Distribution

The populations where mtDNA haplogroup I1A1A3A is found include:

  1. Near Eastern populations (Anatolia, Levant, Iran)
  2. Caucasus populations (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan)
  3. Southern and Eastern European populations (Balkans, Italy, Mediterranean coasts)
  4. Central and South Asian groups (low frequency, scattered)
  5. North African populations (sporadic, generally low frequency)
  6. Jewish communities (including some Ashkenazi and Sephardic lineages, at low frequency)
  7. Ancient Neolithic farmer contexts (archaeological sites tied to early farming expansions)
Historical context

A branch through time

Estimated formation in a broad historical timeline. Period markers provide context and do not imply a connection with particular cultures.

  1. ~10k years ago

    Neolithic Revolution

    Agriculture begins, settled communities form

  2. ~5k years ago

    Bronze Age

    Metalworking, writing, and early civilizations

  3. ~4.5k years ago

    Haplogroup I1A1A3A

    Estimated formation of this mtDNA branch; dates and locations are reference estimates.

    This branch
  4. ~3k years ago

    Iron Age

    Iron tools, expanded trade networks

  5. ~2.5k years ago

    Classical Antiquity

    Greek and Roman civilizations flourish

  6. Present

    Present Day

    Modern era

Reference profile

Archaeological context

Recorded archaeological associations for mtDNA branch I1A1A3A

Recorded associations

These labels describe archaeological contexts recorded for reference samples linked to I1A1A3A. An association does not establish that all carriers belonged to a culture or followed a particular migration route.

Chlopice-Vesele Culture Medieval Italian Modern Kideksha Poland_BA_Trzciniec Pre-Viking Swedish Russia_Tatarstan_Medieval_EarlyChiyalik Sarmatian Culture Tollense Culture Usatove Viking
Culture assignments are based on archaeological context of ancient DNA samples and may represent regional associations during specific time periods.
Reference profile

Sample Catalog

1 direct carrier of haplogroup I1A1A3A

1 shown · 1 matching samples

Portraits are AI-generated illustrations. Sample labels and accession IDs identify the reference records.

Portrait Sample Country Era Date Culture mtDNA Match
AI-generated illustrative portrait of Russian individual, Kideksha (Vladimir Oblast, Suzdalsky District), Russia (1,526-1,795 CE)
Sample ID: KED003
Russia Modern Russian (Kideksha) 1526 CE - 1795 CE Modern Kideksha I1a1a3a Direct
MATERNAL LINEAGE · ANCIENT DNA

Ancient lineage evidence map

Follow parent clades toward this branch and explore where ancient carriers were found.

Loading ancient observations…

Markers are archaeological find locations. A dashed connector is an uncertain, proposed geographic transition between consecutive branches supported by multiple dated observations; it is not an exact travel route, birthplace or proof of direct descent. Parent-clade samples may belong to other descendant branches. Gaps remain where evidence is insufficient. Sample dates differ from haplogroup formation dates.

Reference profile

Carrier Distribution Map

Geographic distribution of 1 ancient DNA sample (direct and subclade carriers of I1A1A3A)

Direct carrier
Time Period Filter
All Time Periods
Showing all samples
Reference profile

Temporal Distribution

Distribution of carriers across archaeological periods

Reference profile

Geographic Distribution

Counts by recorded sample country. These reflect the available reference selection, not population frequencies.

Reference profile

Country × Era Distribution

Compare recorded sample counts across countries and archaeological periods. Select a populated cell to inspect a sample.

Data

Data & Provenance

Source information and data quality

Last Updated 2026-02-16
Confidence Score 50/100
Coverage Low

Data Source

Classification, estimated dates and geographic context reflect the recorded reference data and may change as evidence is revised. Sample coverage is uneven; recorded locations and archaeological associations do not establish personal origin or cultural identity.