# Population Genetics > mtDNA Haplogroups > K >  mtdna K1a10-- How old is it?

## elghund

How old is mtDNA haplogroup K1a10. From what I read, it clealry origibnated in the British Isles. If this haplogroup is over 4000 years old, it occurs pre-neolithic. I've heard some say that mtDNA arrived in the neolithic, so how old is this haplogroup clade to have originated in Britain?

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## Maciamo

There is no reliable to determine the age of mtDNA haplogroups (at least deep subclades like this) because the mitochondrial sequence is extremely short and uninformative. What is certain is that K1a is over 10,000 years old as it was found in many Neolithic sites and originated in the Middle East. The mutation for K1a10 could have happened any time since then, or might already have existed in a minority of people before the diffusion of agriculture.

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## elghund

It's been a year. Just bumping this thread up to see if there are any new updates that might answer this question.

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## J1 DYS388=13

K1a10 is 5,800 to 7,400 years old, according to the academic paper Costa 2013, and about 6,400 years old, according to the academic paper Behar 2012.

I have only ever seen three cases of basic K1a10. They are shown as suns on my K1a10/K1a10a Google Map. 

Like you I have assumed that K1a10 originated in Britain. But the presence of two cases on the continent may suggest that K1a10 originated there, but did not flourish, and came to Britain with the Neolithic, but still did not flourish until the K1a10a branch arose during the Iron Age (if the academic papers are correct).

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