Ancient DNA from İznik | Lefke / Osmaneli Memory

A fundamental limitation: No directly published ancient DNA samples from Lefke/Osmaneli itself have been identified so far. The individuals below are from the İznik/Nikaia Basilica and serve as nearby regional comparisons; they cannot be described as people from Lefke.

Nine Individuals from the İznik Basilica

Approximately AD 262–700, spanning the late Roman and early Byzantine periods.

Sample	Sex	Date	Y-DNA	mtDNA	Note
I14799	Male	AD 350–400	T-CTS9984	I1	İznik Basilica; date range from the dataset
I8372	Female	AD 262–425	—	U6a7c1	Direct radiocarbon dating
I8366	Male	AD 500–700	E-Y37092 / E-Y30977	T2g1	Catalogue records report different Y-chromosome subclade assignments
I8367	Male	AD 500–700	E-V13	T2g1	Contextual / archival date range
I8368	Female	AD 500–700	—	HV1a'b'c	Contextual / archival date range
I8369	Female	AD 500–700	—	U8b1a1	Contextual / archival date range
I8370	Male	AD 500–700	J-Z7661	H	Contextual / archival date range
I8371	Female	AD 500–700	—	X2n	Contextual / archival date range
I8373	Female	AD 500–700	—	H80	Contextual / archival date range

Haplogroups identify biological lineages, not historical or ethnic identities such as “Rum,” “Turkish,” “Greek” or “Roman.” The seven individuals dated 500–700 have broad archaeological contextual dates; I8372 is directly radiocarbon-dated.

What Genetic Data Can and Cannot Tell Us

Regional Diversity

The Southern Arc study shows that late antique Anatolia did not have a uniform genetic profile: local West Asian/Anatolian components coexisted with signals of migration and mobility.

I8372

This female sample stands out for an unusual genetic profile connected with North Africa/the Levant. It may reflect the connections of a transport centre such as Nikaia with the wider Mediterranean world.

The Question of Identity

DNA alone cannot reveal someone’s language, legal status or self-identification. Inscriptions, burial context, dating and genetics must be considered together.

The İBİS Project

Hacettepe University’s project “People of İznik and Byzantine Warriors: A Bioarchaeological Study” (İBİS) aimed to generate ancient genomic data for 86 individuals from İznik’s Roman theatre. Its project page reports preliminary sequencing of 16 samples to investigate groups including local medieval Christians, early Turkic communities reaching Anatolia, Byzantine soldiers/mercenaries and possible Crusaders.

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