Here is the breakdown of J2 subclades by province based on the recent study by Boattini et al..
North Italy
In Cuneo, south-west Piedmont, 2 out of 30 samples are J2 (6.5%), both J2a*.
In Savona/Genova, central Liguria, 7 out of 50 samples are J2 (14%), among which three J2a*, two J2a2-M67, and two J2a2a-M92.
In Como, north-west Lombardy, 3 out of 41 samples are J2 (7.5%), among which one J2a, one J2a2-M67, and one J2b2-M241 (2.5%).
In Brescia, north-east Lombardy, 2 out of 39 samples are J2 (5%), both J2a*.
In Vicenza, central-west Veneto, 4 out of 40 samples are J2 (10%), all J2a*.
In Treviso, central-east Veneto, 5 out of 30 samples are J2 (16.5%), among which three J2a* and two J2a2.
In Bologna, central Emilia-Romagna, 1 out of 29 samples is J2b2 (3.5%).
Central Italy
In La Spezia-Massa, north-west Tuscany, no J2 (0%) was found out of 24 samples.
In Pistoia, central-north Tuscany, only one J2a (7.5%) sample was found out of 13 samples.
In Grosetto-Siena, southern Tuscany, only 9 out of 86 samples are J2 (10.5%), among which six J2a*, one J2a2, and two J2b2 (2.5%).
In Foligno, central-east Umbria, 9 out of 37 samples are J2 (24.5%), among which five J2a*, one J2a2a, two J2b, and one J2b2 (2.5%).
In Macerata, central-east Marche, 9 out of 40 samples are J2 (22.5%), among which five J2a, three J2a2 and one J2b2 (2.5%).
South Italy
In L'Aquila, Abruzzo, 3 out of 23 samples are J2 (13%), all of which were J2a*.
In Campobasso, Molise, 3 out of 29 samples are J2 (10.5%), among which one J2a*, and two J2a2a.
In Benevento, Campania, 5 out of 36 samples are J2 (14%), among which two J2a* and three J2a2.
In Matera, Basilicata, 5 samples out of 25 are J2 (20%), among which one J2a*, one J2a2, one J2a2a, and two J2b.
In Lecce, Apulia, 10 out of 39 samples are J2 (25.5%), including one J2*, two J2a*, one J2a2, three J2a2a, and three J2b2 (7.5%).
In Cosenza/Catanzaro/Crotone, Calabria, 8 out of 38 samples were J2 (21%), among which one J2*, five J2a*, one J2a2, and one J2b2 (2.5%).
In Catania, eastern Sicily, 9 out of 62 samples are J2 (14.5%), among which five J2a*, one J2a2, one J2a2a, and two J2b2 (3%).
In Ragusa/Siracusa, southeast Sicily, 11 out of 44 samples are J2 (25%), among which six J2a*, two J2a2, one J2a2a, and two J2b2 (4.5%).
In Agrigento, southwest Sicily, 7 out of 42 samples are J2 (16.5%), among which four J2a*, one J2a2, and two J2a2a.
In Olbia/Tempio/Nuoro, north-east Sardinia, 3 out of 40 samples are J2 (7.5%), among which two J2a* and one J2a2.
In Oristano, central-west Sardinia, 3 out of 42 samples are J2 (7%), all J2a*.
A few important changes compared to the data from previous studies:
- much more J2 in Liguria, Piedmont, Umbria and Basilicata.
- less J2 in Tuscany, Molise, Campania, central Apulia and eastern Sicily.
The lowest percentage of J2 is found in north-west Tuscany and Emilia, where R1b reaches its maximum frequency.
Contrarily to haplogroups G2a, J1 and T, which all peak along the Apennines, J2 is weakest in the Apennines, reinforcing my suspicion that J2 did not come during the Neolithic, but rather in the Bronze Age.
J2 is usually attributed to the Greek colonisation, like E1b1b. However the present distribution does not really support that, because of the high percentages found in Liguria and Piedmont on the one side, and from the Latium and southern Tuscany to Umbria, the Marches and coastal Veneto on the other side. It is undeniable that the Greeks brought more J2 to southern Italy, but it's not the whole story. J2 was obviously already well established all over coastal Italy by the time the Greeks arrived. The Etruscans were probably those who first brought J2 to Italy.
What is less easy to explain is the highly Greek admixture found in modern Liguria (very high J2 and E1b1b, and quite high G2a and J1), since the ancient Ligures were an Indo-European people related to the Celts and the Italics and were described as having auburn hair.
If that is not the case, then J2 could have been spread north by the Romans. Two studies found a very high frequency of J2 in South Latium, which is the homeland of Latin people. Therefore the original Romans must surely have had a similarly high frequency of J2 (alongside R1b-U152, G2a and perhaps also E1b1b). However since the Latium became a huge melting pot during the Roman Empire, the presence of J2 there could also be attributed to the numerous Near Eastern immigrants to Rome (Greeks, Syrians, Jews).
Overall, the distribution of J2 in Italy closely matches that of E1b1b, except in the southern Latium and the northern Apennines, where E1b1b is less prevalent.
North Italy
In Cuneo, south-west Piedmont, 2 out of 30 samples are J2 (6.5%), both J2a*.
In Savona/Genova, central Liguria, 7 out of 50 samples are J2 (14%), among which three J2a*, two J2a2-M67, and two J2a2a-M92.
In Como, north-west Lombardy, 3 out of 41 samples are J2 (7.5%), among which one J2a, one J2a2-M67, and one J2b2-M241 (2.5%).
In Brescia, north-east Lombardy, 2 out of 39 samples are J2 (5%), both J2a*.
In Vicenza, central-west Veneto, 4 out of 40 samples are J2 (10%), all J2a*.
In Treviso, central-east Veneto, 5 out of 30 samples are J2 (16.5%), among which three J2a* and two J2a2.
In Bologna, central Emilia-Romagna, 1 out of 29 samples is J2b2 (3.5%).
Central Italy
In La Spezia-Massa, north-west Tuscany, no J2 (0%) was found out of 24 samples.
In Pistoia, central-north Tuscany, only one J2a (7.5%) sample was found out of 13 samples.
In Grosetto-Siena, southern Tuscany, only 9 out of 86 samples are J2 (10.5%), among which six J2a*, one J2a2, and two J2b2 (2.5%).
In Foligno, central-east Umbria, 9 out of 37 samples are J2 (24.5%), among which five J2a*, one J2a2a, two J2b, and one J2b2 (2.5%).
In Macerata, central-east Marche, 9 out of 40 samples are J2 (22.5%), among which five J2a, three J2a2 and one J2b2 (2.5%).
South Italy
In L'Aquila, Abruzzo, 3 out of 23 samples are J2 (13%), all of which were J2a*.
In Campobasso, Molise, 3 out of 29 samples are J2 (10.5%), among which one J2a*, and two J2a2a.
In Benevento, Campania, 5 out of 36 samples are J2 (14%), among which two J2a* and three J2a2.
In Matera, Basilicata, 5 samples out of 25 are J2 (20%), among which one J2a*, one J2a2, one J2a2a, and two J2b.
In Lecce, Apulia, 10 out of 39 samples are J2 (25.5%), including one J2*, two J2a*, one J2a2, three J2a2a, and three J2b2 (7.5%).
In Cosenza/Catanzaro/Crotone, Calabria, 8 out of 38 samples were J2 (21%), among which one J2*, five J2a*, one J2a2, and one J2b2 (2.5%).
In Catania, eastern Sicily, 9 out of 62 samples are J2 (14.5%), among which five J2a*, one J2a2, one J2a2a, and two J2b2 (3%).
In Ragusa/Siracusa, southeast Sicily, 11 out of 44 samples are J2 (25%), among which six J2a*, two J2a2, one J2a2a, and two J2b2 (4.5%).
In Agrigento, southwest Sicily, 7 out of 42 samples are J2 (16.5%), among which four J2a*, one J2a2, and two J2a2a.
In Olbia/Tempio/Nuoro, north-east Sardinia, 3 out of 40 samples are J2 (7.5%), among which two J2a* and one J2a2.
In Oristano, central-west Sardinia, 3 out of 42 samples are J2 (7%), all J2a*.
A few important changes compared to the data from previous studies:
- much more J2 in Liguria, Piedmont, Umbria and Basilicata.
- less J2 in Tuscany, Molise, Campania, central Apulia and eastern Sicily.
The lowest percentage of J2 is found in north-west Tuscany and Emilia, where R1b reaches its maximum frequency.
Contrarily to haplogroups G2a, J1 and T, which all peak along the Apennines, J2 is weakest in the Apennines, reinforcing my suspicion that J2 did not come during the Neolithic, but rather in the Bronze Age.
J2 is usually attributed to the Greek colonisation, like E1b1b. However the present distribution does not really support that, because of the high percentages found in Liguria and Piedmont on the one side, and from the Latium and southern Tuscany to Umbria, the Marches and coastal Veneto on the other side. It is undeniable that the Greeks brought more J2 to southern Italy, but it's not the whole story. J2 was obviously already well established all over coastal Italy by the time the Greeks arrived. The Etruscans were probably those who first brought J2 to Italy.
What is less easy to explain is the highly Greek admixture found in modern Liguria (very high J2 and E1b1b, and quite high G2a and J1), since the ancient Ligures were an Indo-European people related to the Celts and the Italics and were described as having auburn hair.
If that is not the case, then J2 could have been spread north by the Romans. Two studies found a very high frequency of J2 in South Latium, which is the homeland of Latin people. Therefore the original Romans must surely have had a similarly high frequency of J2 (alongside R1b-U152, G2a and perhaps also E1b1b). However since the Latium became a huge melting pot during the Roman Empire, the presence of J2 there could also be attributed to the numerous Near Eastern immigrants to Rome (Greeks, Syrians, Jews).
Overall, the distribution of J2 in Italy closely matches that of E1b1b, except in the southern Latium and the northern Apennines, where E1b1b is less prevalent.
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