Anthropological and Genetic Characteristics of Atropatene population
Vahid Rashidvash

Abstract
Iran is of great interest to a wide range of scientific disciplines because of the rich ethnic and cultural diversity of population living there, and the extreme complexity of the historical and genetic issues in the region. However, studies related to the ethnogenesis of indigenous peoples and their ancient genetic contacts are not conclusive. Iranian Azaris – the largest ethno-linguistic minority in Iran – are one of such peoples. The origin of the Turkic-speaking population of the north-western provinces of Iran, the so-called Azaris, is the subject of long-year debate. In this paper the anthropological data obtained by the author and the genetic results of modern scientific literature, concerning the ethnogenesis of Iranian Azaris, which is essential addition to their historical, archaeological and ethnographic. The main conclusion of the work, which is based on the analysis of anthropometric and genetic material, is as follows: the ethnic group under consideration - Iranian Azaris, undoubtedly is the indigenous population in the region of the Middle East.


Full Text: PDF