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2w ago

Scientists Sequence 4,500-Year-Old Egyptian’s Entire Genome

Exceptional DNA preservation in a sealed pottery burial uncovers ancestry drawn partly from North Africa’s Neolithic communities with a notable Fertile Crescent component.

An ancient Egyptian ceramic pot excavated in 1902 at a site of rock-cut tombs at Nuwayrat, Egypt, is seen in this picture taken in 1902 and released on July 2, 2025. It contained the skeletal remains of a man who lived 4,500 to 4,800 years ago. Morez Jacobs, A. (2025)/Nature/Handout via REUTERS.
Image
The remains are now kept at World Museum Liverpool.
The clay pot was found inside a tomb cut into the rock at Nuwayrat, south of Cairo.

Overview

  • Published July 2 in Nature, the study marks the first full genome sequencing of an ancient Egyptian excavated at Nuwayrat.
  • Genetic data show about 80% North African Neolithic ancestry and a 20% contribution from the Fertile Crescent, confirming early interregional migration.
  • Skeletal wear patterns and arthritis indicate the man worked as a potter, reflecting craft techniques introduced from West Asia.
  • The airtight pot burial protected DNA from millennia of heat and mummification-related degradation, enabling complete genome recovery.
  • Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and Liverpool John Moores University plan to sequence additional museum specimens to chart Egypt’s genetic history.