The world of ancient Egypt, with its towering pyramids and golden pharaohs, is a subject of enduring fascination. While its monumental architecture, sophisticated beliefs, and art have been studied extensively, a fundamental question has remained largely unanswered: Who were the ancient Egyptians, genetically? The region's hot climate is notoriously bad for preserving DNA, leaving a significant gap in the historical record. Now, a groundbreaking study published in Nature has changed that.

Research led by Adeline Morez Jacobs from Liverpool John Moores University and Pontus Skoglund of The Francis Crick Institute has successfully sequenced the entire genome of a man from the dawn of the Old Kingdom. The individual was discovered at a necropolis site called Nuwayrat, about 265 km south of Cairo. Radiocarbon dating shows he lived between 2855 and 2570 BCE, a few centuries after the unification of Egypt and during the age when the first great pyramids were being built.

The key to this breakthrough may lie in his unique burial. The body was interred inside a large ceramic pot, which was then placed within a rock-cut tomb. This special treatment, usually reserved for higher-status individuals, likely shielded his remains from the elements, preserving his genetic material for nearly 5,000 years.

Also Read: Why You're So Distracted and How to Refocus

From this precious sample, a detailed picture of the man has been pieced together. Genetic analysis revealed he was male, with brown eyes, brown hair, and likely dark to black skin. He lived to an advanced age for his time, between 44 and 64 years old, and stood about 157-160 cm tall. His skeleton shows signs of a life of hard physical labor, with severe osteoarthritis in his joints, which seems to contrast with his high-status burial.

The most stunning revelation, however, came from his genetic instruction book. A comparison of his genome to a library of thousands of ancient genomes showed his ancestry was a surprising mix. About 80% of his genetic makeup is best represented by Neolithic farmers from North Africa. The other 20%, however, traced back to the eastern Fertile Crescent, a region that includes Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq).

This finding is incredibly significant. It has long been known that Egypt and Mesopotamia exchanged goods and ideas—things like domesticated plants, writing systems, and the potter's wheel travelled between them. But this genome provides the first direct evidence that the connection wasn't just about cultural diffusion; it also involved the movement of people.

Also Read: Hope for longer healthier lives

This man's DNA provides a direct window into a more interconnected ancient world. His existence demonstrates that human migration was happening between two of the great cradles of civilization. While the genome of one person cannot tell the whole story, it fundamentally changes the understanding of this period and provides a vital roadmap for future research. The success proves that ancient DNA can be recovered from Egypt, opening the door to building a more complete picture of the people who built one of history's most enduring civilizations.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09195-5