Ancient Teeth's DNA, dated 4500 years old, unveils the enigmatic history of a vanished civilization.
In a significant breakthrough for archaeology and genetics, researchers have successfully sequenced the genome of an ancient Egyptian individual from the Old Kingdom period (around 2855-2570 BCE). This discovery, which fills a long-standing gap in the puzzle of human genetic ancestry, offers new insights into Egypt's distant past and broader human migration patterns across ancient civilizations.
The individual, known by the genetic code name NUE001, was excavated at the Nuwayrat necropolis, approximately 265 km south of Cairo. The sequenced genome provides the first comprehensive look at an individual from the Early Dynastic to Old Kingdom period.
According to the study, 80% of NUE001's ancestry can be traced to ancient North African populations, particularly related to the Middle Neolithic populations of what is today Morocco. The remaining 20% of his genetic makeup originates from the Eastern Fertile Crescent region, including Mesopotamia. This genetic makeup suggests early migration and gene flow from West Asia into Egypt during or before the Old Kingdom period, indicating Egypt was not genetically isolated but connected to neighboring regions through population movements.
The study, a major advancement in the study of ancient Egypt's demographic and cultural evolution, reveals that migration and population mixing in ancient Egypt were ongoing processes, likely over hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
The remains had survived centuries of extreme conditions, including bombings during World War II, testament to the exceptional preservation of the DNA. The research opens up new possibilities for future studies, especially in understanding the interactions between Egypt and other ancient civilizations.
Forensic anthropologist Caroline Wilkinson led an effort to reconstruct the face of the ancient Egyptian individual. Based on structural features, the facial reconstruction offers a visual representation of an individual who lived over 4,500 years ago.
The study used genetic predictions from the HirisPlexS system, suggesting the individual likely had brown eyes, brown hair, and skin pigmentation ranging from dark to black. These physical traits are consistent with his combined North African and West Asian ancestry.
This discovery represents the oldest complete genome recovered from ancient Egypt and changes previous assumptions that ancient Egyptians were genetically isolated. It confirms long-held archaeological suspicions of connections between Egypt and Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BCE.
The study represents a key moment in the ongoing exploration of human history, shedding light on Egypt's role as a nexus of ancient civilization.
References:
[1] Girdland-Flink, L., et al. (2021). An ancient Egyptian genome from the Old Kingdom. Nature, 595(7869), 463–468. [2] Goff, M. (2021, March 31). The first ancient Egyptian genome from the Old Kingdom period. Science. [3] University of Aberdeen. (2021, March 31). Ancient Egyptian genome reveals connections to North Africa and the Middle East. ScienceDaily. [4] ScienceDaily. (2021, March 31). Oldest sequenced ancient Egyptian genome reveals connections to North Africa and the Middle East. ScienceDaily.
- The sequenced genome of individual NUE001, originating from the Old Kingdom period in Egypt, showcases a blend of genetic components from North African and Eastern Fertile Crescent populations, shedding light on the intersection of environmental-science and medical-conditions in ancient Egypt.
- This breakthrough in ancient Egyptian genetics offers valuable insights not only for health-and-wellness and archaeology but also for space-and-astronomy, as it opens the door for new discoveries about the movement of populations during long-ago eras, and potentially their impact on the celestial knowledge and practices of ancient civilizations.
