Pages: 303-307

In 2005, for the first time in the history of Tripolian culture research, samples to study genetic lineages of Tripolians were obtained from the Verteba Cave in the Podolye region (Ternopol Oblast, Ukraine). Five years later, our research team presented the results of this analysis to the scientific community. Three years after, our conclusions about the genetic roots of Tripolians received confirmation from a phylogenetic comparative analysis of the Neolithic predecessors of Tripolians from Central Europe and the Balkans. Tripollians, like their Balkan ancestors, carried maternal genetic lineages characteristic to all Neolithic farming ecumene, rooted in the lands of Asia Minor, the birthplace of European agriculture. However, the dominating lineage in the Tripolian remains studied so far is one that existed on the territory from the Carpathians to the northern Black Sea shores before farmers arrived there. Thus, based on the available information to date, we can reach a conclusion that genetic canvas of Tripolian inhabitants of the Podolye region contained elements of farming genetic lineages with autochthonous foundation in local, pre-Neolithic, maternally-derived genetic types.

Keywords: Tripolian culture, Podolye, Neolithic, Eneolithic, genetics, mitochondrial DNA

Information about author:

Alexey Nikitin (Allendale, USA). Ph.D. Grand Valley State University. Biology Department, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, Michigan, 49401, USA
E-mail: [email protected]