Title: Revisiting E-Z1682: A Judean Lineage from Ancient Canaan to the Atlantic World
Author: Jaymes Mozingo, PhD Candidate in Ancient DNA, University of Montana
Abstract: Recent advances in ancient DNA (aDNA) have significantly enhanced our understanding of the paternal lineages present in the Southern Levant during the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age. Haplogroup E-Z1682, a subclade of E-CTS1454, has emerged as a promising candidate for a Judean-associated lineage. This article presents genetic, historical, and archaeological evidence suggesting that E-Z1682 was present in the region of ancient Judah circa 1200 BCE, potentially carried by early Israelites described in biblical texts. The lineage’s westward trajectory through Iberia and eventual arrival in colonial Virginia challenges prevailing assumptions and expands the narrative of Jewish and Judean diaspora history.
1. Introduction The reconstruction of biblical-era population structures through Y-chromosome haplogroups remains an evolving field. While haplogroups J1 and J2 have long dominated scholarly narratives around ancient Israelites and modern Jewish populations, emerging data call for a more nuanced interpretation. Haplogroup E-Z1682, a lesser-known lineage, deserves focused attention for its Levantine origin and continuity across millennia.
2. Genetic Evidence for E-Z1682 in Ancient Judah Recent studies, including Sandoval & Schroeder et al., have documented E-Z1682 in ancient samples linked to the post-Bronze Age period. Samples recovered from the South Atlantic Island of St. Helena in recent years were found to be E-Z1682 lineages consistent with ancestry from the Levant around 1050 BCE. These individuals may represent captives or diaspora from earlier Israelite or Judean populations.
In conjunction with the biblical narrative of Israelite captivity in Egypt and migration to Canaan (circa 1400–1200 BCE), E-Z1682 appears to align temporally and geographically with the formation of the early Israelite confederation described in Judges and Samuel as well as several Egyptian accounts like the Merneptah Steele, the Soleb Inscription, and the Amarna letters among other artifacts.
3. Archaeological Correlation: Lachish and African Features Excavations at Lachish, one of the most important Judean cities, have unearthed over 1,000 skulls that were sent to the UK in the early 20th century. While not yet analyzed using modern aDNA techniques, visual depictions from the Lachish reliefs—showing African features among captives—suggest a genetically diverse population. If tested, these remains could potentially contain E-Z1682 signatures, reinforcing claims of its presence in the ancient kingdom of Judah during the siege of the city of Lachish by the Assyrians in 701 B.C. No other Haplogroup populations, i.e. J1, J2 were in the area until after this time.
The recent study by Clarissa R. Dicke-Toupin further supports this possibility. Her Master Thesis research on population continuity at Lachish indicates a complex and multi-ethnic demographic composition, challenging the oversimplified view of a Mediterranean-only origin for ancient Judeans. Her work opens a new frontier for understanding African-lineage contributions to the southern Levant, as it applies to dental morphology indicating that the E-Z1682 will likely match based on its recently verified migration route.
4. Diaspora and Migration to Iberia Following the Babylonian conquest in 586 BCE and later Roman occupation, segments of the Judean population were dispersed. While many went eastward to Babylon or later northward into Europe, others, such as the Yahya family of Spain and Portugal, retained claims of Davidic descent. The E-Z1682 lineage has been detected among men in Iberia whose genealogies align with Sephardic Jewish heritage, suggesting a westward Judean migration. SNPs along these migration paths have been shown to be present in E-Z1682 descendants like my own, which formed in West Asia in 1050 BCE. I also bear another SNP called E-BY137213 which formed in 700 B.C according to YFULL, a leading Y chromosome sequencing and interpretation service, and is associated with the Assyrians. The siege on Israel occurred in 722 BCE and was followed by the destruction of Lachish, a fortified city of Judah in 701 BCE and unlikely to be a coincidence.
The last SNP or terminal SNP E-Y250637 I have formed around 1900 ybp (years before present) and was one shared with the R1a lineage sometime after the roman occupation. This is further evidence of a colorful population that could have indeed looked primarily mediterranean in features, albeit stemming from African paternal haplogroups. This is the case with many E-P2 descendant haplogroups that contain non-Caucasian, white descendants like Einstein, Lyndon Johnson, Napoleon, The Wright Brothers among many others with so called African Paternal Haplogroups.
5. Transatlantic Migration and the Mozingo Line Documentary and genetic evidence traces one E-Z1682 line through the Iberian Peninsula to early colonial America. The Mozingo family, beginning with Edward Mozingo (b. c. 1644), represents one such lineage. Scant evidence exists of Duarte Mozingo, son of Montsingaux, said to be born in Southern France in 1580, and traveled with the Portuguese to Angola where he bore his son Duarte (Edward) in 1609, often said to be with Queen Nzinga of Ndongo. Oral histories and court records indicate his arrival in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619, and Y-DNA genetic testing confirms his descendants bear the E-Z1682 haplogroup. This family likely descends from Sephardic Jewish or crypto-Judean ancestors expelled or converted during the Inquisition.
6. Reassessing the Definition of "Jewish" Y-DNA The widespread use of haplogroups J1 and J2 to define "Jewish" ancestry often excludes older Levantine lineages like E-Z1682, despite their presence in the same region during the biblical period. Current AI models and public genetic tools reflect this bias, frequently miscategorizing E-Z1682 as non-Jewish. Scholarly consensus must evolve to recognize the only paternal line that fits the 400-year narrative of life in Egypt before the Exodus, according to the biblical narrative. It is important to note that the ancient DNA databases and new phylogeography tools do not indicate a presence of Haplogroup J in the area during this time, since it is that this paternal line had already left Northern Canaan for Italy by 2150 BCE, according to the FTDNA Globetrekker database. They would later arrive in Spain between 200-300 A.D. from Italy where they were converted by E-Z1682 before departing for Poland shortly after.
7. Conclusion E-Z1682 represents a credible candidate for the original biblical Judean haplogroup, with geographic continuity from Egypt to Canaan and temporal alignment with the formation of ancient Israel. Its presence in Iberia and early Virginia links ancient Judean identity to New World diasporas. Greater scientific scrutiny and Y-DNA testing of ancient remains—especially those from Lachish—could provide definitive proof of this lineage’s deep connection to the Tribe of Judah.
The archaeological site of Tel Lachish has yielded significant findings, including human remains that provide insights into the city's tumultuous history.
Human Remains at Tel Lachish
Excavations at Tel Lachish have uncovered four mass graves containing over 1,500 individuals, approximately half of whom were women and children. These tombs date to the Late Bronze Age, although the exact timing of the burials remains uncertain due to the scarcity of dateable artifacts within them. The presence of these mass graves suggests episodes of significant violence or catastrophe, possibly linked to the city's repeated destruction and sieges during its history.
Lachish Reliefs and Depictions of the Siege
The Assyrian conquest of Lachish in 701 BCE is vividly depicted in the Lachish Reliefs, a series of stone panels originally displayed in King Sennacherib's palace in Nineveh. These reliefs illustrate the siege and capture of the city, including scenes of Assyrian soldiers attacking and Judean captives being led away. The reliefs are currently housed in the British Museum.
Current Status of Human Remains
While the Lachish Reliefs are well-documented and accessible, there is limited public information regarding the current location and study of the human remains excavated from Tel Lachish. Some artifacts from the site were acquired by the British Museum in 1980, forming part of a collection of over 17,000 objects from the 1930s excavations. However, specific details about the storage, analysis, or display of the human remains are not readily available in the public domain.
Given the significance of these remains in understanding the population and events of ancient Lachish, further research and publication would be valuable. Access to these remains for modern scientific analysis, such as Y-DNA testing, could provide deeper insights into the demographics, health, and origins of the city's inhabitants.
References:
Please support this research by donating to the Principal Research Group. It will help us to reach out to the British Museum or the Israel Antiquities Authority to further the research on this topic. For more detailed information and potential collaboration opportunities, please contact: www.principalresearchgroup.org
We're here to help you explore your ancestry and answer any questions you may have. Reach out today and let's connect!