Let's continue the series of mtDNA maps. Here comes U3, a haplogroup with strong Near Eastern affinities. U3 was was almost certainly propagated by some (Levantine ?) Neolithic farmers in Europe, especially haplogroups E1b1b, J1(xP58) and T. U3 reflects partially the Southwest Asian admixture from the Dodecad Project (excluding the more recent Arabic expansion linked with the rise of Islam, simply because Saudis have only 1.5% of U3).
It is also likely that the Indo-Europeans carried a small percentage of U3 lineages, especially the R1b branch. That may be why U3 shows up in unexpected parts of Europe, such as Norway, Scotland, Ireland, northwestern France and Catalonia - all regions characterised by high levels of R1b-L21 and/or R1b-Z195.
The hotspot in southern Belarus and northwestern Ukraine reflects the higher frequency of Near Eastern Y-DNA and mtDNA in the region, which I believe are due to a northern expansion of the people of the Late Neolithic Cucuteni-Trypillian culture after their homeland was invaded by the Indo-Europeans (Corded Ware, Yamna).
It is also likely that the Indo-Europeans carried a small percentage of U3 lineages, especially the R1b branch. That may be why U3 shows up in unexpected parts of Europe, such as Norway, Scotland, Ireland, northwestern France and Catalonia - all regions characterised by high levels of R1b-L21 and/or R1b-Z195.
The hotspot in southern Belarus and northwestern Ukraine reflects the higher frequency of Near Eastern Y-DNA and mtDNA in the region, which I believe are due to a northern expansion of the people of the Late Neolithic Cucuteni-Trypillian culture after their homeland was invaded by the Indo-Europeans (Corded Ware, Yamna).
