Wed Jul 02 21:04:36 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, along with a brief summary:
**Summary:**
Researchers have successfully sequenced the full genome of an ancient Egyptian man who lived over 4,500 years ago, during the Old Kingdom. The analysis revealed that he had brown eyes, brown hair, and dark to black skin. His ancestry traced back predominantly to North African populations, with a significant portion linking him to early farmers from Mesopotamia, suggesting historical interactions and migration between these regions. The successful extraction of the DNA, despite the age and Egyptian climate, is attributed to the unique pot burial method.
**News Article:**
**Ancient Egyptian Genome Sequenced, Reveals Mesopotamian Link**
**CHENNAI, July 3, 2025** – In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have sequenced the complete genome of an ancient Egyptian man who lived between 4,500 and 4,800 years ago, during the Old Kingdom. This is the oldest complete DNA sample ever retrieved from Egypt, offering unprecedented insights into the genetic makeup and history of the region’s early inhabitants. The research, published in the journal *Nature*, sheds new light on the interactions between ancient Egypt and other civilizations.
The remains, discovered in a ceramic pot within a rock-cut tomb at Nuwayrat, approximately 265 km south of Cairo, belonged to a male individual estimated to be between 44 and 64 years old at the time of his death. Analysis indicates he had brown eyes, brown hair, and skin pigmentation that ranged from dark to black.
The genetic analysis revealed that 78% of his ancestry originated from ancient North African populations, particularly Neolithic groups from present-day Morocco. However, a significant finding was that approximately 22% of his DNA closely matched early farmers from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkiye).
“This implies that individuals from these regions were not just exchanging goods with Egypt but might even have migrated and interacted with local people long before the construction of the pyramids,” said Niraj Rai from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow.
Researchers suggest the Mesopotamian connection implies historical cultural exchanges and interactions that extended back over 10,000 years, influencing practices like animal farming, the trade of precious goods, and the emergence of writing systems.
While acknowledging the possibility of indirect gene transfer through Levantine populations, the findings still provide direct biological proof that ancient Egypt’s early populace was influenced by far-reaching interactions that bridged continents.
The successful extraction of the full genome is particularly remarkable given the age of the sample and the warm Egyptian climate. Scientists believe the pot burial method, combined with the stable environment of the rock-cut tomb and the specific tissue sampled from the teeth, contributed to the exceptional DNA preservation. This discovery opens new avenues for understanding ancient Egyptian history and its connections to other regions of the world.
First Piper 