A sealed limestone tomb in central Egypt has yielded a scientific breakthrough that is reshaping the understanding of how early Egyptian civilisation emerged. From inside a ceramic burial pot, scientists have extracted the first complete genome ever sequenced from Egypt’s Old Kingdom period, revealing a surprising genetic connection between North Africa and ancient Mesopotamia.
Discovery Inside a Pot Burial
The remains were found in a rock-cut tomb located about 275 kilometres south of Cairo. The man, buried between 2855 and 2570 BCE, was placed inside a large ceramic vessel and sealed away in a cool underground chamber. Despite Egypt’s harsh climate, two molars preserved enough genetic material to unveil a major chapter in the region’s human history.
A detailed skeletal study suggests the man was in his sixties, around 5 feet 3 inches tall, and suffered from osteoarthritis and upper-limb stress signs of a physically demanding occupation, possibly pottery or skilled craftsmanship. Yet his burial treatment hints at some social importance.
Breakthrough Genome From the Old Kingdom
The research, published in Nature in October 2025, was led by scientists from Liverpool John Moores University and the Francis Crick Institute. Using advanced ancient-DNA techniques, the team achieved unusually strong genome coverage for Egyptian remains, which are typically difficult to analyse because heat and humidity degrade DNA.
The study revealed that roughly 80 percent of the man’s ancestry matched Neolithic North African groups, including ancient Moroccan genomes. The remaining 20 percent traced back to populations of the eastern Fertile Crescent, especially Mesopotamia.
These findings provide the earliest genetic proof that people were moving across long distances during the rise of early dynastic Egypt, at a time when writing, administration and monumental building were taking shape.
Not a Migrant—But a Result of Earlier Movement
Chemical analysis of the man’s teeth confirmed that he grew up in the Nile Valley, suggesting he was not an immigrant himself. Instead, his genetic profile indicates that earlier waves of people had travelled from Mesopotamia into Egypt centuries before his birth. This aligns with long-observed cultural connections between the two regions, reflected in pottery styles and early administrative symbols.
Advancing Earlier Genetic Studies
Until now, the oldest significant DNA data from Egypt came from mummies dating between 1388 BCE and 426 CE, which showed ties with Near Eastern populations. The new genome predates these by over a thousand years and provides a fuller, more accurate genetic picture.
Using ancestry modelling, researchers ruled out a single origin and found that a blend of North African and West Asian sources best explained his genetic makeup. This strengthens the idea that Egypt’s early state formation involved not only cultural exchange but also population movement.
Pot Burials Offer New Hope for Research
Scientists believe the pot burial was key to preserving DNA. The cool, stable conditions of the limestone tomb protected the remains better than traditional mummification, which often damages genetic material. Extraction techniques focused on cementum at the tooth roots, which locks in DNA more effectively than bone in hot climates.
Clues from the bones suggest the man lived a physically demanding life despite receiving a respectable burial. Researchers believe he may have been a craftsperson whose skills placed him in a valued position within his community.
A More Connected Ancient World
This genome adds powerful evidence to the growing view that early Egypt was shaped by broad networks of human movement across the Red Sea, Sinai and the eastern Mediterranean. It also pushes back the timeline for when sub-Saharan African ancestry became part of Egypt’s genetic landscape; the Old Kingdom individual shows none of that component, reflecting a much earlier population structure in North Africa.
As researchers continue to refine techniques for studying ancient DNA in hot climates, this discovery may be the first of many that reshape our understanding of how the world’s earliest civilisations were formed.