By Hyacinth Estrada
Researchers have successfully sequenced the oldest-known Egyptian genome, showing unexpected ancestral relationships between early Egyptians and Mesopotamians about 5,000 years ago.
This scientific discovery thus redefines a portion of ancient Egyptian history.
Published in Nature, the study also opens the door to further investigation into Egypt’s genetic past.
The DNA was taken from the teeth of an unnamed male who was buried in Nuwayrat, a village 265 kilometres south of Cairo, between 4,500 and 4,800 years ago.
His remains miraculously survived decades of war and even the World War II bombing of Liverpool’s World Museum, where his skeleton had been kept since its excavation in 1902.
He was buried in a clay pot, a rare method that predated mummification.
First successful sequencing
The project, headed by scientists from Liverpool John Moores University and the Francis Crick Institute, is the first to successfully sequence an ancient Egyptian genome.
About 20% of the man’s genetic composition came from Mesopotamia, or present-day Iraq, according to the analysis, indicating early human movement and intermingling, even if the majority of his heritage was derived from ancient North Africa.
“Ancient Egypt is a place of extraordinary written history and archaeology, but challenging DNA preservation has meant that no genomic record ancestry in early Egypt has been available for comparison,” said study co-senior Pontus Skoglund, as reported by Earth.com.
As found in the study, the man’s skeletal features and bone wear suggest a repetitive involvement in physical labour, possible pottery-making, a craft brought to Egypt from Mesopotamia at that time.
“The markings on the skeleton are clues to the individual’s life and lifestyle. 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,” said co-author Joel Irish.
However, he added that there are concerns about his social standing given his comparatively affluent funeral, saying: “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 in advancing his social status.”
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Looking for clues
The study used forensic anthropology and advanced DNA sequencing to determine the man’s origins and provide hints about his lifestyle.
His biography was reconstructed by researchers using tooth chemistry, bone morphology, and isotope studies.
“Piecing together all the clues from this individual’s DNA, bones, and teeth have allowed us to build a comprehensive picture,” lead author Adeline Morez Jacobs stated.
“We hope that future DNA samples from ancient Egypt can expand on when precisely this movement from West Asia started.”
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