Scientists have managed to decode the full DNA of an ancient Egyptian man for the first time, revealing that he carried ancestry from both North Africa and the region historically known as Mesopotamia.
The breakthrough study sheds new light on how ancient populations may have moved and mixed across the early Middle East and North Africa.
The man lived over 5,000 years ago, during Egypt’s Old Kingdom period—a time marked by strong central rule and the construction of iconic monuments like the Great Pyramid of Giza.
His genetic profile offers one of the clearest pictures to date of where early Egyptians may have originated. This marks the oldest and most complete genome yet recovered from ancient Egypt, and the first time researchers have been able to decode DNA from an ancient Egyptian with such precision.
Burial method helped preserve a rare DNA sample
The body was first uncovered in 1902 in a tomb at Nuwayrat in Upper Egypt. Buried inside a large ceramic pot placed within a rock-cut chamber, the man’s remains remained remarkably intact—an unusual case in a region where intense heat typically breaks down organic material.
According to Linus Girdland-Flink, an archaeologist at the University of Aberdeen, the unique burial method helped preserve the DNA by keeping the environment stable over thousands of years.
Using samples taken from the roots of the man’s teeth, scientists compared his genome to thousands of others. Most of his DNA traces back to early North African farming communities. However, about 20% showed links to the eastern Fertile Crescent, a region that includes ancient Mesopotamia and surrounding areas.
Genetic links support known cultural exchange
This connection to Mesopotamia “was quite interesting because we actually know from archaeology that the Egyptian and the eastern Fertile Crescent cultures influenced each other for millennia,” said Adeline Morez Jacobs, lead author of the study and a biological anthropologist at the University of Padua.
Radiocarbon dating places the man’s life between 2855 and 2570 B.C. He likely lived to be between 44 and 64 years old, considered a long lifespan for the time. Researchers noted signs of advanced arthritis and bone thinning, suggesting he reached the upper range of that estimate.
Despite being buried in what appears to be an elite-style tomb, the man’s bones reveal signs of physical labor. Joel Irish, a bioarchaeologist at Liverpool John Moores University, found evidence that he often sat for long periods and repeatedly used his hands—clues that suggest he may have worked as a potter.
Although this genome offers valuable insight, researchers caution against drawing broad conclusions from a single individual. “We need to remember, this is a single individual,” said Jacobs. “We didn’t capture the full diversity of the population.”
The study was published July 2 in the journal Nature.
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