Demic diffusion

Theoretical work by Cavalli-Sforza showed that if admixture between expanding farmers and previously-resident groups of hunters and gatherers was not immediate, the process would result in the establishment of broad genetic gradients. Because broad gradients, spanning much of Europe from southeast to northwest, were identified in empirical genetic studies by Cavalli-Sforza, Robert R. Sokal, Guido Barbujani, Lounès Chikhi and others, it seemed likely that the spread of agriculture into Europe occurred by the expansion and the spread of agriculturists, who possibly originated in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East.^[2] That is referred to as the Neolithic demic diffusion model.

Craniometric^[3][4] and archaeological^{[5][6][7][8][9]} studies have also arrived at the same conclusion.

• Estimating the Impact of Prehistoric Admixture on the Genome of Europeans, Dupanloup et al., 2004
• Origin, Diffusion, and Differentiation of Y-Chromosome Haplogroups E and J: Inferences on the Neolithization of Europe and Later Migratory Events in the Mediterranean Area, 2004
• Y genetic data support the Neolithic demic diffusion model, Chikhi 2002.
• Paleolithic and Neolithic lineages in the European mitochondrial gene pool, Cavalli-Sforza 1997.^{[dead link]}
• Clines of nuclear DNA markers suggest a largely Neolithic ancestry of the European gene, Chikhi 1997.