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Yomiuri Shimbun
09-07-2025
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Ancient DNA Shows Genetic Link between Egypt, Mesopotamia
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ancient DNA has revealed a genetic link between the cultures of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, according to research published on July 2 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 roughly 4,500 and 4,800 years 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 coauthor 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 coauthor 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.
Egypt Independent
06-07-2025
- Science
- Egypt Independent
The first genome sequenced from ancient Egypt reveals surprising ancestry, scientists say
CNN — In a long-sought first, researchers have sequenced the entire genome of an ancient Egyptian person, revealing unprecedented insight about the ancestry of a man who lived during the time when the first pyramids were built. The man, whose remains were found buried in a sealed clay pot in Nuwayrat, a village south of Cairo, lived sometime between 4,500 and 4,800 years ago, which makes his DNA the oldest ancient Egyptian sample yet extracted. The researchers concluded that 80 percent of his genetic material came from ancient people in North Africa while 20 percent traced back to people in West Asia and the Mesopotamia region. Their findings, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, offer new clues to suggest there were ancient cultural connections between ancient Egypt and societies within the Fertile Crescent, an area that includes modern-day Iraq (once known as Mesopotamia), Iran and Jordan. While scientists have suspected these connections, before now the only evidence for them was archaeological, rather than genetic. The scientists also studied the man's skeleton to determine more about his identity and found extensive evidence of hard labor over the course of a long life. 'Piecing together all the clues from this individual's DNA, bones and teeth have allowed us to build a comprehensive picture,' said lead study author Dr. Adeline Morez Jacobs, visiting research fellow at England's Liverpool John Moores University, in a statement. 'We hope that future DNA samples from ancient Egypt can expand on when precisely this movement from West Asia started.' Pottery and other artifacts have suggested that Egyptians may have traded goods and knowledge across neighboring regions, but genetic evidence of just how closely different ancient civilizations mingled has been harder to pin down because conditions such as heat and humidity quickly degrade DNA, according to the study authors. This man's remains, however, were unusually well-preserved in their burial container, and the scientists were able to extract DNA from one of the skeleton's teeth. While the findings only capture the genetic background of one person, experts said additional work could help answer an enduring question about the ancestry of the first Egyptians who lived at the beginning of the longest-lasting known civilization. A pottery vessel containing the man's remains was discovered in 1902. Garstang Museum of Archaeology, University of Liverpool Decoding a DNA puzzle Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo, who won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2022 for sequencing the first Neanderthal genome, made pioneering attempts 40 years ago to extract and study DNA from ancient Egyptian remains, but he was unable to sequence a genome. Poor DNA preservation consistently posed an obstacle. Since then, the genomes of three ancient Egyptian people have been only partially sequenced by researchers using 'target-enriched sequencing' to focus on specific markers of interest in the specimens' DNA. The remains used in that work date back to a more recent time in Egyptian history, from 787 BC to AD 23. It was ultimately improvements in technology over the past decade that paved the way for the authors of the new study to finally sequence an entire ancient Egyptian genome. 'The technique we used for this study is generally referred to as 'shotgun sequencing,' which means we sequence all DNA molecules isolated from the teeth, giving us coverage across the whole genome,' wrote study coauthor Dr. Linus Girdland-Flink, a lecturer in biomolecular archaeology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, in an email. 'Our approach means that any future researcher can access the whole genome we published to find additional information. This also means there is no need to return to this individual for additional sampling of bone or tooth material.' The man, who died during a time of transition between Egypt's Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom periods, was not mummified before burial because it was not yet standard practice — and that likely preserved his DNA, the researchers said. 'It may have been a lucky circumstance — perhaps we found the needle in the haystack,' Girdland-Flink said. 'But I think we will see additional genomes published from ancient Egypt over the coming years, possibly from individuals buried in ceramic pots.' While Egypt's overall climate is hot, the region has relatively stable temperatures, a key factor for long-term genetic preservation, Girdland-Flink said. That climate, the clay pot used for burial and the rock tomb it was placed in all played a role in preventing the man's DNA from deteriorating, he said. The clay pot was found inside a tomb cut into the rock at Nuwayrat, south of Cairo. Garstang Museum of Archaeology, University of Liverpool Tracing unique ancestry For their analysis, the researchers took small samples of the root tips of one of the man's teeth. They analyzed the cementum, a dental tissue that locks the teeth into the jaw, because it is an excellent tool for DNA preservation, Girdland-Flink said. Of the seven DNA extracts taken from the tooth, two were preserved enough to be sequenced. Then, the scientists compared the ancient Egyptian genome with those of more than 3,000 modern people and 805 ancient individuals, according to the study authors. Chemical signals called isotopes in the man's tooth recorded information about the environment where he grew up and the diet he consumed as a child as his teeth grew. The results were consistent with a childhood spent in the hot, dry climate of the Nile Valley, consuming wheat, barley, animal protein and plants associated with Egypt. But 20 percent of the man's ancestry best matches older genomes from Mesopotamia, suggesting that the movement of people into Egypt at some point may have been fairly substantial, Girdland-Flink. Dental anthropologist and study coauthor Joel Irish also took forensic measurements of the man's teeth and cranium, which matched best with a Western Asian individual. Irish is a professor in the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University. The study provides a glimpse into a crucial time and place for which there haven't been samples before, according to Iosif Lazaridis, a research associate in the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. Lazaridis was not involved with the new study but has done research on ancient DNA samples from Mesopotamia and the Levant, the eastern Mediterranean area that includes modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and parts of Turkey. The remains are now kept at World Museum Liverpool. Garstang Museum of Archaeology, University of Liverpool Researchers have long questioned whether the Egyptians from the beginnings of the Dynastic civilization were indigenous North Africans or Levantine, Lazaridis said. 'What this sample does tell us is that at such an early date there were people in Egypt that were mostly North African in ancestry, but with some contribution of ancestry from Mesopotamia,' Lazaridis said. 'This makes perfect sense geographically.' Lazaridis said he hopes it's the beginning of more research on Egypt, acknowledging that while mummification helped preserve soft tissue in mummies, the chemical treatments used in the mummification process were not ideal for ancient DNA preservation. 'I think it is now shown that it is feasible to extract DNA from people from the beginnings of Egyptian civilization and the genetic history of Egypt can now begin to be written,' he said. A mysterious burial By studying the man's skeleton, the team was able to determine that he was just over 5 feet tall and between 44 and 64 years old, likely closer to the end of that range — 'which is incredibly old for that time period, probably like 80s would be today,' Irish said. Genetic analysis suggests he had brown eyes and hair and dark skin. And his bones told another tale: just how hard he labored in life, which seems at odds with the ceremonial way he was buried within the ceramic vessel. Indications of arthritis and osteoporosis were evident in his bones, while features within the back of his skull and vertebra showed he was looking down and leaning forward for much of his lifetime, Irish said. Muscle markings show he was holding his arms out in front of him for extended periods of time and carrying heavy materials. The sit bones of his pelvis were also incredibly inflated, which occurs when someone sits on a hard surface over decades. There were also signs of substantial arthritis within his right foot. Irish looked over ancient Egyptian imagery of different occupations, including pottery making, masonry, soldering, farming and weaving, to figure out how the man might have spent his time. 'Though circumstantial these clues point towards pottery, including use of a pottery wheel, which arrived in Egypt around the same time,' Irish said. 'That said, 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.' Before the pottery wheel and writing systems were shared between cultures, domesticated plants and animals spread across the Fertile Crescent and Egypt in the sixth millennium BC, as societies transitioned from being hunter-gatherers to living in permanent settlements. Now, the study team wonders whether human migrations were also part of that shift. Additional ancient genomes from Egypt, Africa and the Fertile Crescent could supply answers about who lived where and when. 'This is just one piece of the puzzle that is human genetic variation: each person who ever lived — and their genome — represents a unique piece in that puzzle,' Girdland-Flink said in an email. '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.' 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Ya Biladi
05-07-2025
- Science
- Ya Biladi
New study reveals ancient Egypt's genetic ties to Morocco's Neolithic population
Until now, genetic models used to trace the origins of ancient Egyptian populations have largely focused on connections with the Eastern Mediterranean or the Levant. But a new study could challenge those assumptions. A team of researchers from Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and France has identified a strong ancestral link with Neolithic populations of the Western Mediterranean, specifically from present-day Morocco, which accounts for 77.6% of the genetic origin. Published on July 2, 2025, in the journal Nature, the findings are based on the genome sequencing of a well-preserved burial in the Nuwayrat necropolis in Middle Egypt, near the village of Beni Hasan, 265 km south of Cairo. The analysis revealed that the remaining 20% of the individual's ancestry traces back to the eastern Fertile Crescent, including early agricultural societies of Mesopotamia. This genetic affinity is similar to that found in Neolithic and Bronze Age populations in Anatolia and the Levant, the researchers note. Burial conditions suggest that the individual belonged to the elite social class of the time. While more genomes need to be analyzed to better understand the genetic diversity of early Egypt, the findings suggest that links with the Fertile Crescent extended beyond material culture, such as domesticated animals, plants, or writing systems, and included human migration. «One possible explanation for the successful whole-genome retrieval is the pot burial, which may have favoured a degree of DNA preservation not previously reported in Egypt», the study states. This contributes to the road map for future research to obtain ancient DNA from Egypt. North Africa's Role in Egypt's Origins This research reinforces the idea that North Africa may have played a more significant role in the origins of ancient Egypt than previously thought. Ancient Egyptian civilization flourished for millennia, peaking during the dynastic period (circa 3150–30 BC). Notably, this coincides with the existence of an agricultural society in Morocco, dated between 3400 and 2900 BC, the first such complex in Africa outside the Nile Valley. This suggests that Neolithic North Africa may have played a central role in the region's history. Until now, poor DNA preservation in the Nile Valley has limited understanding of Egypt's genetic and regional connections. In this study, researchers succeeded in sequencing the full genome, at 2x coverage, of an adult male buried in Nuwayrat. Radiocarbon dating places the remains between 2855 and 2570 BCE, a period that spans the early dynastic era and the Old Kingdom. The man's body was buried inside a ceramic pot placed in a rock-cut tomb, a burial practice typically reserved for individuals of higher status, as seen in elite burials of the same period near the royal necropolis of Memphis. Opening New Research Frontiers Although the study is based on a single genome and may not reflect the broader population, the data reveal ancestral ties with older North African populations and those from the eastern Fertile Crescent. «Analyses of dental traits and craniometrics of the Nuwayrat individual, as well as in previous morphological studies based on full samples», the researchers explain. These findings add to the evidence of cultural diffusion from the eastern Fertile Crescent, particularly in plant and animal domestication and social organization. They also suggest the possibility of human migrations to Egypt during these early periods. «The Nuwayrat genome also allowed us to investigate the Bronze Age roots of ancestry in later Egypt, highlighting the interplay between population movement and continuity in the region», the study concludes. Looking ahead, sequencing more ancient genomes could deepen our understanding of Egypt's early population structure, its connections with the rest of Africa, and the broader patterns of intracontinental migration. For now, this research broadens the historical lens—inviting a more nuanced exploration of ancient Egyptian identity and its African roots.
Iraqi News
04-07-2025
- Science
- Iraqi News
Ancient DNA reveals surprising Mesopotamian ancestry in 4,500-year-old Egyptian
Baghdad ( – In a groundbreaking discovery that redraws the lines of connection between the world's earliest civilizations, a new scientific study has revealed that an ancient Egyptian man who lived during the age of the great pyramids had significant genetic ancestry from Mesopotamia, the land of ancient Iraq. The study, led by a team from Liverpool John Moores University, marks the first time the complete genome of an individual from ancient Egypt has been successfully sequenced. The findings, reported by the Daily Mail Online, offer direct biological proof of the deep, historical ties between the civilizations of the Nile Valley and the Fertile Crescent. The subject of the study was an individual who lived approximately 4,500 to 4,800 years ago during Egypt's Old Kingdom, the era renowned for the construction of colossal pyramids. His well-preserved skeleton was discovered in 1902 inside a large clay funerary jar within a rock-cut tomb at the Al-Nuwayrat site near Sohag, Egypt. Analysis of the remains shows he was around 60 years old when he died, stood about 1.59 meters (5'2″) tall, and had a slender build. He suffered from age-related conditions like osteoarthritis, and skeletal marks suggest he may have been a skilled craftsman, possibly a potter, due to evidence of sitting for long periods with his limbs extended. His high-status burial in a rock-cut tomb further suggests he was a respected figure. The scientific team successfully extracted ancient DNA from the roots of two of the man's teeth to sequence his entire genome. The results were startling. While roughly 80% of his ancestry was traced to North Africa, as expected, the remaining 20% showed a clear genetic link to the Ancient Near East, specifically the Fertile Crescent, which includes Mesopotamia. 'This indicates fundamental genetic links between ancient Egypt and the eastern Fertile Crescent,' said Adeline Mauries-Jacobs, the study's lead author. This genetic revelation provides powerful scientific backing for long-held archaeological theories about the deep cultural and trade exchanges between ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. During the 3rd millennium BCE, these two regions were the vanguards of human civilization, pioneering writing, architecture, and technology. Archaeologists have previously noted shared artistic motifs and the presence of Mesopotamian imports in Egypt, such as lapis lazuli. Crucially, the potter's wheel, a Mesopotamian invention, first appeared in Egypt during the very period this man lived—a powerful connection, given his likely profession. This was the same era when the first pyramids were rising near modern Cairo. The study, as co-author and bio-archaeologist Joelle Irish noted, affirms the subject's high status. This discovery does more than just analyze one man's DNA; it provides a living link between two of humanity's foundational cultures, proving their worlds were not separate, but deeply and ancestrally intertwined.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oldest Egyptian DNA Reveals Secrets of Elite Potter From Pyramid Era
For the very first time, scientists have sequenced DNA from the entire genome of an individual who lived in ancient Egypt up to 4,800 years ago – right when the first pyramids were being built. The ancient genome belongs to an older male individual who was probably part of an elite social class and who, based on his ancestry, likely had brown hair, brown eyes, and dark skin. About 80 percent of the man's genome is linked to lineages in North Africa, while the remaining 20 percent is linked to lineages in West Asia. Related: The findings suggest that early Egyptians once lived in a melting pot of cultures, with migrants and traders arriving from other parts of Africa and Mesopotamia – an ancient region that now encompasses parts of Iraq, Türkiye, and Iran. Previous archaeological evidence has also indicated trade and cultural connections between Egypt and other parts of the Fertile Crescent, primarily through the exchange of domesticated plants and animals, writing systems, and technology such as the pottery wheel. But actual human DNA is not as easily preserved in the hot and dry region. This newest discovery is the oldest DNA ever recovered from ancient Egypt, and scientists say the remains provide "direct evidence of genetic ancestry" from Mesopotamia. "Ancient Egypt is a place of extraordinary written history and archaeology, but challenging DNA preservation has meant that no genomic record of ancestry in early Egypt has been available for comparison," says geneticist Pontus Skoglund, who founded the first high-throughput ancient DNA laboratory in the United Kingdom at the Francis Crick Institute. "Building on this past research, new and powerful genetic techniques have allowed us to cross these technical boundaries and rule out contaminating DNA, providing the first genetic evidence for potential movements of people in Egypt at this time." The ancient man's remains were recovered from a necropolis in the ancient city of Nuwayrat, 265 kilometers (165 miles) south of Cairo, where he was buried in a large pottery vessel inside a rock-cut tomb. He died sometime between 2855 and 2570 BCE. In life, the individual was approximately 160 centimeters (5.2 feet) tall, and judging by his heavily worn teeth and severe arthritis, he was likely between 44 and 64 years old – an advanced age for the time. His form of burial suggests he had a high social status, but unexpectedly, his body holds signs of routine physical labor. "His seat bones are expanded in size, his arms showed evidence of extensive movement back and forth, and there's substantial arthritis in just the right foot. Though circumstantial, these clues point towards pottery, including use of a pottery wheel," suggests bioarchaeologist Joel Irish from Liverpool John Moores University. "That said, 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." When scientists analyzed the mix of isotopes in the ancient man's second molar, they found evidence that he grew up in the hot and dry Nile Valley, eating animal protein and plants like wheat and barley. This was typical for early Egyptians. "This individual has been on an extraordinary journey. He lived and died during a critical period of change in ancient Egypt, and his skeleton was excavated in 1902 and donated to World Museum Liverpool, where it then survived bombings during the Blitz that destroyed most of the human remains in their collection," says archaeogeneticist Linus Girdland Flink from the University of Aberdeen. "We've now been able to tell part of the individual's story." One individual's story can't tell us everything we would like to know about ancient Egypt, but the findings are an intriguing start. Researchers hope that their technique will allow for a "more detailed and nuanced understanding of ancient Egyptian civilization and its inhabitants" in the future. The study was published in Nature. Zapping Volunteers' Brains With Electricity Boosted Their Maths Skills Ruins of Ancient Temple Belonged to Mysterious Pre-Inca Civilization Does Using Artificial Intelligence Ruin Your Actual Intelligence? Scientists Investigated
