Haplogroup E-M2, also known as E1b1a1-M2, is a human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. E-M2 is primarily distributed within Africa followed by West Asia. More specifically, E-M2 is the predominant subclade in West Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, and the region of the African Great Lakes; it also occurs at moderate frequencies in North Africa, and the Middle East. E-M2 has several subclades, but many of these subhaplogroups are included in either E-L485 or E-U175. E-M2 is especially common among indigenous Africans who speak Niger-Congo languages, and was spread to Southern Africa and East Africa through the Bantu expansion.
Origins
The discovery of two SNPs (V38 and V100) by Trombetta et al. (2011) significantly redefined the E-V38 phylogenetic tree. This led the authors to suggest that E-V38 may have originated in East Africa. E-V38 joins the West African-affiliated E-M2 and the Northeast African-affiliated E-M329 with an earlier common ancestor who, like E-P2, may have also originated in East Africa. According to Wood et al. (2005) and Rosa et al. (2007), such population movements changed the pre-existing population Y chromosomal diversity in Central, Southern, and Southeastern Africa, replacing the previous haplogroup frequencies in these areas with the now dominant E1b1a1 lineages. Traces of earlier inhabitants, however, can be observed today in these regions via the presence of the Y DNA haplogroups A1a, A1b, A2, A3, and B-M60 that are common in certain populations, such as the Mbuti and Khoisan. Shriner et al. (2018) similarly suggests that haplogroup E1b1a-V38 traversed across the Green Sahara from east to west around 19,000 years ago, where E1b1a1-M2 may have subsequently originated in West Africa or Central Africa. Shriner et al. (2018) also traces this movement via sickle cell mutation, which likely originated during the Green Sahara period.
Ancient DNA
Within Africa
Botswana
At Xaro, in Botswana, there were two individuals, dated to the Early Iron Age (1400 BP); one carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1c1a and L3e1a2, and another carried haplogroups E1b1b1b2b (E-M293, E-CTS10880) and L0k1a2.
At Taukome, in Botswana, an individual, dated to the Early Iron Age (1100 BP), carried haplogroups E1b1a1 (E-M2, E-Z1123) and L0d3b1.
Democratic Republic of Congo
At Kindoki, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there were three individuals, dated to the protohistoric period (230 BP, 150 BP, 230 BP); one carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1d1a2 (E-CTS99, E-CTS99) and L1c3a1b, another carried haplogroup E (E-M96, E-PF1620), and the last carried haplogroups R1b1 (R-P25 1, R-M415) and L0a1b1a1.
Egypt
Hawass et al. (2012) determined that the ancient Egyptian mummy of an unknown man buried with Ramesses III was, because of the proven genetic relationship and a mummification process that suggested punishment, a good candidate for the pharaoh's son, Pentaweret, who was the only son to revolt against his father. It was impossible to determine his cause of death. Using Whit Athey's haplogroup predictor based on Y-STR values, both mummies were predicted to share the Y chromosomal haplogroup E1b1a1-M2 and 50% of their genetic material, which pointed to a father-son relationship. Gad et al. (2021) indicates that Ramesses III and Unknown Man E, possibly Pentawere, carried haplogroup E1b1a, which appears at its highest frequency rates in Central Africa at ~60% and in West Africa at ~80%.
During the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, some mummies from the Amarna Period carried haplogroups E1b1a and L.
Kenya
At Deloraine Farm, in Nakuru County, Kenya, an iron metallurgist of the Iron Age carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1a/E-M58 and L5b1.
At Lamu, Pate Island, Faza, in Kenya, an individual, dated between 1500 CE and 1700 CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a and L3e3a.
At Taita Taveta, Makwasinyi, in Kenya, an individual, dated between 1650 CE and 1950 CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a and L4b2a.
At Taita Taveta, Makwasinyi, in Kenya, an individual, dated between 1650 CE and 1950 CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1d1c and L1c3b1a.
At Taita Taveta, Makwasinyi, in Kenya, an individual, dated between 1650 CE and 1950 CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a and L2a1+143.
At Taita Taveta, Makwasinyi, in Kenya, an individual, dated between 1667 cal CE and 1843 cal CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1d1c and L2a1+143.
At Taita Taveta, Makwasinyi, in Kenya, an individual, dated between 1709 cal CE and 1927 cal CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3a1d~ and L3a2.
Tanzania
At Songo Mnara, in Tanzania, an individual, dated between 1418 cal CE and 1450 cal CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1~ and L3e2b.
At Lindi, in Tanzania, an individual, dated between 1511 cal CE and 1664 cal CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3a1d~ and L0a1a2.
Outside of Africa
Croatia
At Dalmatia, in Hvar, Croatia, an adult male individual, dated between the 3rd century CE and the 5th century CE, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1b2a2 and HV.
France
At Pont-sur-Seine, in France, a male individual, dated to the Middle Neolithic, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c2c and U5b1-16189-@16192.
Mexico
At a San Jose de los Naturales Royal Hospital burial site, in Mexico City, Mexico, three enslaved West Africans of West African and Southern African ancestry, dated between 1453 CE and 1626 CE, 1450 CE and 1620 CE, and 1436 CE and 1472 CE, were found; one carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1c1b/E-M263.2 and L1b2a, another carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1d1/E-P278.1/E-M425 and L3d1a1a, and the last carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1c1a1c/E-CTS8030 and L3e1a1a. Human leukocyte antigen alleles further confirm that the individuals were of Sub-Saharan African origin.
Portugal
At Cabeço da Amoreira, in Portugal, an enslaved West African man, who may have been from the Senegambian coastal region of Gambia, Mauritania, or Senegal, and carried haplogroups E1b1a and L3b1a, was buried among shell middens between the 16th century CE and the 18th century CE.
Saint Helena
In Saint Helena, 20 freed Africans, who were dated to the 19th century CE, were also of western Central African (e.g., Bantu peoples of Gabon and Angola) ancestry. One female individual carried haplogroup L1b1a10b. One female individual carried haplogroup L2a1f. One female individual carried haplogroup L2a1a3c. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1d and L1c3a. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1a and L0a1b2a. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1a2a2 and L0a1e. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1 and L2a1f1. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1 and L3. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1d and L3e1e. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3a1d and L3e3b2. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1a3 and L3e1a3a. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1a2a2 and L2b1a. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1 and L3f1b1a. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1d1c1a and L3d3a1. One male individual carried haplogroups B2a1a1a1 and L3e2b1. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3b1d1c1a and L2a1f. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1a3a1c1 and L3e1d1a. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a3a1d and L1b1a10. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1a3a1c and L2a1f1. One male individual carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1 and L2b1a. An enslaved African American man and woman, from the 18th century CE Anson Street burial site in Charleston, South Carolina, who carried haplogroup L3e1e, shared this haplogroup with freed Africans in Saint Helena. Based on those who were present among enslaved Africans, the ratio of males-to-females supports the conclusion of there being a strong selection bias for males in the latter period of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Consequently, due to this study on the freed Africans of Saint Helena, among other studies, greater genetic insights have been made into the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and its effects on the demographics of Africa.
Spain
In Granada, a Muslim (Moor) of the Cordoba Caliphate, who was of haplogroups E1b1a1 and H1+16189, as well as estimated to date between 900 CE and 1000 CE, and a Morisco, who was of haplogroup L2e1, as well as estimated to date between 1500 CE and 1600 CE, were both found to be of West African (i.e., Gambian) and Iberian descent.
Out of nine male individuals and four female individuals, there were two Sub-Saharan African male individuals from the western and central Sahel found at Ibiza, in Spain. One male individual, who had close genetic relatedness to Laal speakers and the Nilo-Saharan-speaking Sara people from southern Chad, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a and L3e1c. The other male individual, who had close genetic relatedness to Niger-Congo-speakers from The Gambia and the Bedik people of Senegal, within the broader region of Senegambia, carried haplogroups E1b1b1a1a1c2 and L3b2. Both Sub-Saharan African individuals were radiocarbon dated to after 1115 CE, and may have been associated with enslavement and trafficking among the Almoravids for the military purpose of recruitment and the Trans-Saharan trade routes along North Africa.
United States of America
At Avery's Rest, in Chesapeake, Delaware, 3 out of 11 individuals were African Americans, who were dated between 1675 CE and 1725 CE; one was of West African ancestry and carried haplogroups E1b1a-CTS2447 and L3e3b, another was of western Central African Bantu-speaking ancestry and carried E1b1a-Z5974 and L0a1a2, and another was of West African and East African ancestry and carried E1b1a-Z5974 and L3d2.
At Catoctin Furnace African American Cemetery, in Catoctin Furnace, Maryland, there were 27 African Americans found who were dated between 1774 CE and 1850 CE. One male individual, who was of 98.14% Sub-Saharan African ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c2c and L2a1+143+@16309. One male individual, who was of 83.73% Sub-Saharan African and 7.74% European ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1b1 and L3e2a1b1. One male individual, who was of 84.94% Sub-Saharan African and 9.45% European ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a2a1a and L2a1+143+16189 (16192)+@16309. One male individual, who was of 87.83% Sub-Saharan African and 8.23% European ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1a3a1d1 and L3d1b3. One male individual, who was of 98.14% Sub-Saharan African ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1a and L3e2a1b1. One male individual, who was of 93.87% Sub-Saharan African and 2.58% European ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1 and L3e1. One male individual, who was of 98.70% Sub-Saharan African ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1b2a and L2a1a1. One male individual, who was of 97.01% Sub-Saharan African ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1 and L3e2a1b1. One male individual, who was of 82.31% Sub-Saharan African and 10.24% European ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1b and L3e2a1b1. One male individual, who was of 91.82% Sub-Saharan African and 5.31% European ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1a1a1c1a1 and L3e2. One male individual, who was of 81.18% Sub-Saharan African and 14.86% European ancestry, carried haplogroups E1b1a1~ and L2c.