At a glance
- When
- about 9500 BCE to the Parthian period, centred on the Neolithic to the Iron Age
- Where
- the Iranian Plateau and the Zagros Mountains
- Entries in our catalogue
- 250 (141 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 3
What ancient DNA shows
A 2016 study in Science sequenced early farmers from Ganj Dareh in the central Zagros, dated to about 8000 BCE, and found that they were genetically distinct from the first farmers of Anatolia and closest to hunter-gatherers of the Caucasus. Farming therefore arose among separate populations in different parts of the Near East. In G25 and other models, this Zagros farmer ancestry is a standard source, often written Iran Neolithic.
Ancestry related to these early Iranian farmers spread widely. A 2019 study in Science found it at Shahr-i-Sokhta in eastern Iran and across the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia, and identified it as one of the sources of South Asian ancestry. Bronze and Iron Age individuals from sites such as Hasanlu and Dinkha Tepe in northwestern Iran carry this plateau ancestry mixed with ancestry from neighbouring regions.
Their genetic legacy today
Present-day Iranians and many peoples of the Caucasus, Central Asia and South Asia carry ancestry related to the early farmers of the Iranian Plateau, in shares that differ widely from region to region.
Ancient Iranians samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 250 entries whose culture label names the Ancient Iranians. 141 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 250 dated entries fall between 5,000 BCE and 1,027 BCE, with a median of 2,500 BCE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Iran | 245 |
| Iraq | 4 |
| Afghanistan | 1 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Bronze Age Iran | 24 |
| Shahr-I-Sokhta (Iran) | 22 |
| Iron Age Hasanlu (NW Iran) | 20 |
| Ganj Dareh Neolithic (Iran) | 16 |
| Zagros Neolithic (Iran) | 16 |
| Chalcolithic Iran | 14 |
Measured from the live catalogue on 2026-10-17. Dates are those recorded for each entry; the archaeological dates of the culture are given above. See our data sources for where the samples come from.
Compare your DNA with the Ancient Iranians
To see how close you sit to Ancient Iranians samples, you need your DNA as G25 coordinates. Download your raw data file from your testing company, convert it, and MYDNATLAS compares your coordinates with these entries and the rest of the catalogue, period by period, in its closest population and mixture tools.
- Download your raw DNA file: step by step for each testing company.
- Upload it from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage or FamilyTreeDNA, or another supported provider.
- Explore the results with the period by period breakdown and closest populations.
Start free: browse the Population Encyclopedia. The Population Encyclopedia is free to browse with a free account; analysing your own DNA needs a paid plan.
Questions
How many Ancient Iranians samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 250 entries labelled as Ancient Iranians, of which 141 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Ancient Iranians samples found?
They come from 3 countries, most often Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. Half of the dated entries fall between 5,000 BCE and 1,027 BCE.
What does Iran Neolithic mean in an ancestry model?
It is the ancestry of the early farmers of the Zagros Mountains, represented by genomes such as those from Ganj Dareh. Models use it as a source because it contributed to many later populations, from the Caucasus and the steppe to South Asia.