A large-scale paleogenomic study in the journal Science has mapped the DNA of over 50 individuals from the Taurus-Zagros mountain range, dating back 10,000 years. The results identify a significant genetic bottleneck that occurred around 8500 BCE, likely caused by an abrupt cooling event known as the 8.2k event precursor.
The data suggests that a small, isolated group of foragers survived in the highland refugia, eventually becoming the primary genetic contributors to the earliest farming societies in the Fertile Crescent. This discovery provides a critical link in understanding the post-glacial migration patterns that led to the birth of sedentary agriculture in Western Asia.