Kura Araxes culture - 15 samples in 23andme format

The Kura-Araxes culture, emerging around 4000 BCE, spanned the Caucasus, parts of the Near East including Armenia, and Eastern Turkey. Its people are known for their distinctive black and red burnished pottery, which featured simple geometric designs. These ceramics were widely traded, hinting at expansive cultural networks.

Genetically, Kura-Araxes populations were a mix of local Caucasian groups and influences from the Fertile Crescent, as evidenced by ancient DNA studies. Their customs, including agriculture, herding, and metalworking, were advanced for the time, and they are thought to have had a tribal social structure, living in fortified settlements. Their burial practices included kurgans, or burial mounds, reflecting a complex social hierarchy.

For this video I gathered 15 academic samples from the Kura Araxes culture, and analyzed them using my Trait Predictor tool for genetic analysis.