The shared genetic continuity of Persians has been preserved for five thousand years

Language Does Not Define Ethnicity One of the study’s findings is the lack of consistent alignment between language and ethnicity. It is sometimes assumed that groups sharing a common language might also be genetically close. However, in Persia, cases have been identified where languages were adopted without significant genetic change.

For example, Persian Azeri-speakers and Arabic-speakers show significant genetic similarity to the Indo-European-speaking populations of the Persian Central Cluster. This suggests that, in some instances, language was transmitted through cultural, political, or economic interactions rather than large-scale migrations. Conversely, groups like the Baloch and Sistanis, despite genetic admixture with populations from South and West Asia, have retained their Indo-European languages.

April 3, 2025 | 5:45 am