(ORDO NEWS) — A scientific study reveals how scientists conducted the first successful DNA sequencing of ancient Egyptian mummies. The racial identity of the ancient Egyptians has long been a subject of controversy.
Researchers have used genetic information obtained from mummies to shed light on the origins of the ancient Egyptians.
The results obtained indicate that the ancient Egyptians were most closely associated with the peoples of the Middle East, in particular with the peoples of the Levant.
Egyptologists, historians, writers, scientists, and others have been arguing about the racial identity of ancient Egyptians since at least the 1970s. Some today believe that they were natives of sub-Saharan Africa.
The reactionaries, meanwhile, say that there have never been any significant black civilizations – of course, this is absolutely not true.
In fact, there have been several highly developed African empires and kingdoms throughout history.
Curiously, some far-right groups even used blood type data to proclaim the Nordic origin of King Tutankhamun and his brothers.
The problem was thought to be that the mummy’s DNA could not be sequenced. But a group of international researchers, using unique methods, overcame barriers and did just that.
They found that the ancient Egyptians were most closely related to the peoples of the Middle East, especially the Levant.
This is the Eastern Mediterranean, which today includes the countries of Turkey, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
The mummies used are from the New Kingdom and a later period (after the Middle Kingdom) when Egypt was under Roman rule.
Modern Egyptians share 8% of their genome with Central Africans, much more than the ancient Egyptians. Sub-Saharan gene influx has only occurred within the last 1,500 years.
This may be due to the trans-Saharan slave trade, or simply regular long-distance trade between the two regions. Improved mobility on the Nile during this period increased trade with the interior, the researchers say.
Egypt in ancient times was conquered many times by Alexander the Great, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and others.
The researchers wanted to know if these constant waves of invaders caused any major genetic changes in the population over time.
Team leader Wolfgang Haack of the Max Planck Institute in Germany said in a press release: “The genetics of the Abusir el Melek community did not undergo any major changes during the 1,300 years we have studied, suggesting that the population remained genetically relatively unaffected by foreign conquest and dominion.”
The study was led by archaeogeneticist Johannes Krause, also from the Max Planck Institute. Historically, finding intact DNA from ancient Egyptian mummies has been problematic.
“The hot Egyptian climate, high levels of humidity in many tombs, and some of the chemicals used in the mummification technique contribute to DNA degradation and are thought to make long-term preservation of DNA in Egyptian mummies unlikely,” the study notes.
It was also believed that even if the genetic material was extracted, it might not be reliable.
Despite this, Krause and colleagues were able to implement robust DNA sequencing and testing methods and conducted the first successful genomic testing of ancient Egyptian mummies.
Each of them came from Abusir el-Melek, an archaeological site located along the Nile, 70 miles (115 km) south of Cairo.
This necropolis houses mummies that show aspects that indicate adherence to the cult of Osiris, the green-skinned god of the afterlife.
First, mitochondrial genomes were taken from 90 mummies. Of these, Krause and his colleagues found that they could obtain complete genomes from just three mummies.
For this study, scientists took samples of teeth, bones and soft tissues. Teeth and bones yielded the most DNA. They were protected by soft tissues that were preserved during the embalming process.
The researchers took these samples to a laboratory in Germany. They started by sterilizing the room.
They then placed the samples under ultraviolet light for an hour to sterilize them. After that, they were able to do DNA sequencing.
The scientists also collected data on the history of Egypt and archaeological data from northern Africa to give their findings some context. They wanted to know what changes had taken place over time.
To find out, they compared the mummies’ genomes with those of 100 modern Egyptians and 125 Ethiopians. “For 1,300 years, we see complete genetic continuity,” Krause said.
The oldest mummy was found in the New Kingdom, in 1388 BC, when Egypt was at the height of its power and glory.
The youngest – 426 AD, when the country was ruled by Rome. The ability to obtain genomic data on the ancient Egyptians is a dramatic achievement that opens up new avenues for research.
One limitation, according to their report, “all of our genetic data came from a single site in Middle Egypt and may not be representative of all of ancient Egypt.”
In the south of Egypt, they say, the genetic composition of people could be different, since it was closer to the hinterland of the continent.
Researchers in the future want to determine exactly when sub-Saharan African genes leaked into the Egyptian genome and why.
They will also want to know where the ancient Egyptians themselves came from. To do this, they will have to identify more ancient DNA, as Krause said, “even further back in the past, in the prehistoric period.”
Using high-throughput DNA sequencing and advanced authentication methods, the researchers proved that they can obtain reliable DNA from mummies despite the harsh climate and harmful embalming methods.
Further testing is likely to add a lot to our understanding of the ancient Egyptians and perhaps even the inhabitants of other countries, helping to fill the gaps in the collective memory of mankind.
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