Understanding Archaeological & Genetic Terminology

Period Abbreviation Glossary

Comprehensive guide to period abbreviations used in ancient DNA sample names across 40,000+ years of human history.

Why This Glossary Matters

Ancient DNA sample names often contain cryptic abbreviations like "LN", "EBA", or "IUP" that represent specific archaeological periods and cultures. MYDNATLAS automatically expands these abbreviations into human-readable names, but understanding the original terminology helps you better interpret your genetic ancestry results.

This glossary covers 29,688 ancient samples spanning from the Upper Paleolithic (~45,000 years ago. The oldest surviving human DNA) to the Early Modern period (1900 AD), organized by major archaeological periods and genetic ancestry components.

Paleolithic Period

~40,000 to 10,000 BC

Upper Paleolithic

IUP

~45,000 to 40,000 BC

Initial Upper Paleolithic

~3.3 million to 300,000 years ago

Lower Paleolithic

~300,000 to 40,000 BC

Middle Paleolithic

Epi

~20,000 to 10,000 BC

Epipaleolithic

Mesolithic & Neolithic

Meso

~10,000 to 5,000 BC

Mesolithic

PPN

~10,000 to 6,500 BC

Pre-Pottery Neolithic

PPNA

~10,000 to 8,800 BC

Pre-Pottery Neolithic A

PPNB

~8,800 to 6,500 BC

Pre-Pottery Neolithic B

PPNC

~6,500 to 6,000 BC

Pre-Pottery Neolithic C

~6,500 to 4,500 BC

Pottery Neolithic

Neo

~10,000 to 3,000 BC

Neolithic

~10,000 to 7,000 BC

Early Neolithic

~7,000 to 5,000 BC

Middle Neolithic

~5,000 to 3,000 BC

Late Neolithic

Copper/Chalcolithic Age

Chal

~5,000 to 3,000 BC

Chalcolithic

~5,000 to 3,000 BC

Copper Age

ECA

~5,000 to 4,500 BC

Early Copper Age

MCA

~4,500 to 4,000 BC

Middle Copper Age

LCA

~4,000 to 3,000 BC

Late Copper Age

Bronze Age

~3,000 to 1,200 BC

Bronze Age

EBA

~3,000 to 2,000 BC

Early Bronze Age

MBA

~2,000 to 1,600 BC

Middle Bronze Age

LBA

~1,600 to 1,200 BC

Late Bronze Age

MLBA

~2,000 to 1,200 BC

Middle-Late Bronze Age

EMBA

~3,000 to 1,600 BC

Early-Middle Bronze Age

Iron Age

~1,200 to 500 BC

Iron Age

EIA

~1,200 to 800 BC

Early Iron Age

MIA

~800 to 500 BC

Middle Iron Age

LIA

~500 to 1 BC

Late Iron Age

Medieval & Later

~800 to 1,500 AD

Medieval / Middle Ages

EMed

~500 to 1,000 AD

Early Medieval

LMed

~1,000 to 1,500 AD

Late Medieval

EMod

~1,500 to 1,900 AD

Early Modern

Holocene Period

EHolocene

~11,700 to 8,200 years ago

Early Holocene

MHolocene

~8,200 to 4,200 years ago

Middle Holocene

LHolocene

~4,200 years ago to present

Late Holocene

Archaeological Cultures

LBK

~5,500 to 4,500 BC

Linearbandkeramik (Linear Pottery)

ALBK

~5,500 to 5,000 BC

Alföld Linear Pottery

TRB

~4,300 to 2,800 BC

Trichterbecherkultur (Funnel Beaker)

BBC

~2,800 to 1,800 BC

Bell Beaker Culture

CWC

~2,900 to 2,350 BC

Corded Ware Culture

GAC

~3,400 to 2,800 BC

Globular Amphora Culture

AVK

~5,500 to 5,000 BC

Alföld Linear Pottery (Hungarian)

Ancestry Components

These abbreviations are standard genetic terminology and remain unchanged:

WHG

Pre-Neolithic Europe

Western Hunter-Gatherer

EHG

Pre-Neolithic Eastern Europe

Eastern Hunter-Gatherer

CHG

Pre-Neolithic Caucasus

Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer

ANE

Paleolithic Siberia

Ancient North Eurasian

SHG

Pre-Neolithic Scandinavia

Scandinavian Hunter-Gatherer

Pre-agricultural populations

Hunter-Gatherer

Transformation Examples

Original:

Bulgaria_BachoKiro_IUP_alt.AG.BY.AA:...

Formatted:

Bulgaria BachoKiro Initial Upper Paleolithic alt

Original:

Hungary_LN_Sopot.AG:I1891...

Formatted:

Hungary Late Neolithic Sopot

Original:

Germany_EN_LBK.AG:I2036...

Formatted:

Germany Early Neolithic Linear Pottery

Original:

Russia_Samara_EBA_Yamnaya:I20190...

Formatted:

Russia Samara Early Bronze Age Yamnaya

Original:

England_MIA_LIA.AG:I20987...

Formatted:

England Middle Iron Age Late Iron Age