An international research team successfully decoded the complete genome of an ancient Egyptian who lived 4,500 years ago. This individual, a male aged 44 to 64 at the time the pyramids were being built, represents the oldest known decoded Egyptian.
The international research team, composed of the Francis Crick Institute in the United Kingdom and Liverpool John Moores University, announced on the 3rd in the international journal 'Nature' the results of decoding the DNA of ancient Egyptians to reconstruct the history of ancient civilization exchanges.
The research team extracted DNA from the teeth of a skeleton excavated from a rock tomb in the village of Nuhairat, located about 265 km south of Cairo in 1902. The skeleton was buried in a pottery jar inside the tomb. At the time this skeleton was buried, the method of mummification was not widely used, allowing the body to be preserved in a natural state without artificial treatment. This likely resulted in the preservation of its DNA without damage.
The genomic analysis revealed that about 80% of this man's DNA is of ancient North African origin, while the remaining 20% is inferred to be genetic information from ancient West Asians, possibly from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). This proves, at a genetic level, that ancient Egypt was not an isolated civilization but actively exchanged with its surroundings.
Ancient Egypt was known to have actively interacted with the West Asian region, including Iraq, Iran, and Jordan, which were then called the 'Fertile Crescent'. Until now, such exchanges have only been inferred through archaeological evidence like pottery, writing, and artifacts.
The research team analyzed not only the DNA but also the shape and wear status of the bones. Based on the wear marks on the joints and muscles, they concluded that this man likely engaged in labor that involved repeatedly using his arms back and forth while sitting for extended periods. In fact, severe arthritis was found in the skeleton's right foot and neck, and signs of labor were also confirmed in the pelvis and arms. The research team noted this suggests he may have been a potter.
If he was indeed a laborer, the careful burial of the skeleton in a pottery jar is highly unusual. The research team analyzed that it represents 'a burial method close to that of the upper class for that time,' suggesting that he could have been an exceptional craftsman or personally attained a high social status. This means he might have been a master craftsman possessing both wealth and honor by today's standards.
Adeline Morez Jacobs, the corresponding author of the paper and a researcher at the Francis Crick Institute, said, 'Based on the clues obtained from the DNA, bones, and teeth, we could comprehensively reconstruct the lives of ancient people,' adding, 'We hope to learn more details about when the movement that started in West Asia began through ancient Egyptians' DNA.'
This research is regarded as a historic achievement, being the first successful complete genomic analysis since Dr. Svante Pääbo, the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate, attempted to extract ancient Egyptian DNA about 40 years ago.
The research team added, 'To clearly understand the genetic composition of ancient Egyptians, more individual genomic analyses are needed,' and stated, 'We plan to analyze more ancient DNA in the future to uncover the mixing of various races within Egypt and the flow of migration.'
References
Nature (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09195-5