Ancient genomes from the prehistoric and historic periods of Iran

In this study, we present new ancient DNA data from prehistoric and historic populations of the Persian Plateau. By processing 50 samples from nine key archaeological sites across Iran, we report 23 new mitogenomes and 13 genome-wide data spanning the period from 4700 BCE to 1300 CE. Our special focus is on northern Iran, particularly during the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid periods (355 BCE-460 CE). Uniparental genetic analyses, autosomal principal component and ADMIXTURE analyses, f-D statistics, and qpAdm analysis all confirmed the continuity of genetic ancestries from prehistoric to historical periods. The genetic profiles of historical samples from northern Iran align closely with those from their counterparts of eastern Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan from the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age, underscoring enduring genetic connections across these regions. In this research, we encompass all previously published ancient DNA data from Western and South-Central Asia, enhancing our understanding of the genetic continuity and diversity within ancient Iranian populations.