DNA of man who lived during pyramid construction reveal ancient secret
"Ancient DNA recovery from Egyptian remains has been exceptionally challenging due to Egypt's hot climate that accelerates DNA degradation," noted Pontus Skoglund of the Francis Crick Institute.
An ancient Egyptian ceramic pot excavated in 1902 at a site of rock-cut tombs at Nuwayrat. (Photo: Reuters)
The man lived approximately 4,500-4,800 years ago, at the dawn of the Old Kingdom era, known for its monumental pyramid constructions.advertisementExcavated in 1902 near Beni Hassan, about 170 miles south of Cairo, the remains provide a rare genetic link to the ancient Near East's Fertile Crescent, which encompassed Mesopotamia. "This suggests substantial genetic connections between ancient Egypt and the eastern Fertile Crescent," explained population geneticist Adeline Morez Jacobs.The discovery builds upon existing archaeological evidence of trade and cultural exchanges between Egypt and Mesopotamia, including shared artistic motifs and imported goods like lapis lazuli.Notably, the pottery wheel from Mesopotamia first appeared in Egypt during the man's lifetime, coinciding with the construction of iconic pyramids such as Djoser's Step Pyramid and Khufu's Great Pyramid.The man's skeletal remains, 90% of which were preserved, revealed indications of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, as well as a large unhealed abscess. His burial in a ceramic pot vessel within a rock-cut tomb likely contributed to the exceptional DNA preservation, as Skoglund highlighted.
The researchers extracted DNA from the roots of two teeth. (Photo: Reuters)
Details of the man's life suggest he may have been a potter, inferred from muscle markings on his bones.advertisement"All indicators are consistent with movements and positions of a potter, as indicated in ancient Egyptian imagery," said bioarcheologist Joel Irish. Despite a physically demanding life, his high-status burial suggests he was a potter of significant renown.The study, published in the journal Nature, shows the potential for further discoveries in ancient DNA, despite ongoing challenges."Yeah, it was a long shot," Skoglund admitted, reflecting on the unpredictable nature of such genetic investigations. The findings enrich our understanding of early civilisations and their interconnectedness, offering a broader perspective on the shared histories of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.- EndsMust Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
9 hours ago
- NDTV
Ancient DNA Shows Genetic Link Between Egypt And Mesopotamia
Washington: Ancient DNA has revealed a genetic link between the cultures of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Researchers sequenced whole genomes from the teeth of a remarkably well-preserved skeleton found in a sealed funeral pot in an Egyptian tomb site dating to between 4,495 and 4,880 years ago. Four-fifths of the genome showed links to North Africa and the region around Egypt. But a fifth of the genome showed links to the area in the Middle East between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, known as the Fertile Crescent, where Mesopotamian civilization flourished. "The finding is highly significant" because it "is the first direct evidence of what has been hinted at" in prior work," said Daniel Antoine, curator of Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum. Earlier archeological evidence has shown trade links between Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as similarities in pottery-making techniques and pictorial writing systems. While resemblances in dental structures suggested possible ancestral links, the new study clarifies the genetic ties. The Nile River is "likely to have acted as an ancient superhighway, facilitating the movement of not only cultures and ideas, but people," said Antoine, who was not involved in the study. The skeleton was found in an Egyptian tomb complex at the archaeological site of Nuwayrat, inside a chamber carved out from a rocky hillside. An analysis of wear and tear on the skeleton - and the presence of arthritis in specific joints - indicates the man was likely in his 60s and may have worked as a potter, said co-author and bioarchaeologist Joel Irish of Liverpool John Moores University. The man lived just before or near the start of ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom, when Upper and Lower Egypt were unified as one state, leading to a period of relative political stability and cultural innovation - including the construction of the Giza pyramids. "This is the time that centralized power allowed the formation of ancient Egypt as we know it," said co-author Linus Girdland-Flink, a paleogeneticist at the University of Aberdeen. At approximately the same time, Sumerian city-states took root in Mesopotamia and cuneiform emerged as a writing system. Researchers said analysis of other ancient DNA samples is needed to obtain a clearer picture of the extent and timing of movements between the two cultural centers.
India Today
11 hours ago
- India Today
DNA of man who lived during pyramid construction reveal ancient secret
Recent genetic analysis of an ancient Egyptian man, who lived at the time the first pyramids were constructed, has uncovered significant ties with Mesopotamia, offering fresh insights into cultural interconnections during the Old Kingdom man's genome, remarkably preserved due to his burial conditions, indicates that a fifth of his genetic ancestry can be traced back to Mesopotamia, suggesting substantial historical interactions between these research involved the extraction and sequencing of DNA from the roots of two teeth found in a ceramic vessel within a rock-cut tomb. This achievement marks the first complete genome sequencing of an individual from ancient Egypt, a significant feat given the adverse climate conditions that usually hinder DNA preservation in the region. "Ancient DNA recovery from Egyptian remains has been exceptionally challenging due to Egypt's hot climate that accelerates DNA degradation," noted Pontus Skoglund of the Francis Crick Institute. An ancient Egyptian ceramic pot excavated in 1902 at a site of rock-cut tombs at Nuwayrat. (Photo: Reuters) The man lived approximately 4,500-4,800 years ago, at the dawn of the Old Kingdom era, known for its monumental pyramid in 1902 near Beni Hassan, about 170 miles south of Cairo, the remains provide a rare genetic link to the ancient Near East's Fertile Crescent, which encompassed Mesopotamia. "This suggests substantial genetic connections between ancient Egypt and the eastern Fertile Crescent," explained population geneticist Adeline Morez discovery builds upon existing archaeological evidence of trade and cultural exchanges between Egypt and Mesopotamia, including shared artistic motifs and imported goods like lapis the pottery wheel from Mesopotamia first appeared in Egypt during the man's lifetime, coinciding with the construction of iconic pyramids such as Djoser's Step Pyramid and Khufu's Great man's skeletal remains, 90% of which were preserved, revealed indications of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, as well as a large unhealed abscess. His burial in a ceramic pot vessel within a rock-cut tomb likely contributed to the exceptional DNA preservation, as Skoglund highlighted. The researchers extracted DNA from the roots of two teeth. (Photo: Reuters) Details of the man's life suggest he may have been a potter, inferred from muscle markings on his indicators are consistent with movements and positions of a potter, as indicated in ancient Egyptian imagery," said bioarcheologist Joel Irish. Despite a physically demanding life, his high-status burial suggests he was a potter of significant study, published in the journal Nature, shows the potential for further discoveries in ancient DNA, despite ongoing challenges."Yeah, it was a long shot," Skoglund admitted, reflecting on the unpredictable nature of such genetic investigations. The findings enrich our understanding of early civilisations and their interconnectedness, offering a broader perspective on the shared histories of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.- EndsMust Watch
Mint
11 hours ago
- Mint
Scientists decode DNA of man who lived around 5,000 years ago; mixed ancestry reveals early Africa-Asia link
For the first time, scientists have fully decoded the DNA of an ancient Egyptian man who lived around 4,500 to 4,800 years ago. The man was present during the time of the first pyramids. The man's remains were found in a clay pot in a village south of Cairo. DNA tests showed that 80% of his ancestry was North African while 20% came from West Asia and Mesopotamia, CNN reported. This proves there were cultural links between ancient Egypt and the Fertile Crescent region (which includes modern Iraq, Iran and Jordan). Until now, such connections were only guessed through archaeological finds. The ancient man was about 5 feet tall and aged between 44 and 64, very old for that time. DNA showed he had dark skin, brown eyes and brown hair. His bones revealed a life of hard work, with signs of arthritis, osteoporosis and long hours spent leaning forward. He used to carry heavy things. His pelvic bones showed damage from sitting on hard surfaces for years. Experts believe he may have been a potter, using one of Egypt's earliest pottery wheels. However, his rich-style burial was surprising as potters were usually not buried with such honour. The man's body was not mummified as it wasn't common practice then. This helped preserve his DNA, which was taken from one of his teeth. The man was buried in a clay pot inside a rock tomb. Researchers say Egypt's stable climate also helped keep the DNA safe for thousands of years. 'His higher-class burial is not expected for a potter, who would not normally receive such treatment. Perhaps he was exceptionally skilled or successful to advance his social status,' CNN quoted study coauthor Joel Irish as saying. Long before the invention of pottery or writing, farming and domesticated animals spread through the Fertile Crescent and Egypt around 6000 BC. This shift marked the move from hunting and gathering to settled life. Now, scientists are asking if human migration also played a role. Studying ancient DNA from Egypt, Africa and the Fertile Crescent may help answer where people lived and when. According to researcher Dr. Linus Girdland-Flink, each person's DNA is a unique part of human history. 'While we will never be able to sequence everyone's genome, my hope is that we can gather enough diverse samples from around the world to accurately reconstruct the key events in human history that have shaped who we are today,' CNN quoted Girdland-Flink as saying.
