The “Black Death”: An Egyptian Mummy Reveals Frightening Secrets

28th December 2024

2 minutes read

The "Black Death": An Egyptian Mummy Reveals Frightening Secrets

In a groundbreaking scientific discovery, researchers and scientists have uncovered the mysteries of how the devastating plague, known as the “Black Death,” spread in ancient Egypt and North Africa, particularly during the Bronze Age. This revelation was made through the analysis of a pharaonic mummy preserved at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy.

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According to the IFLScience website, this mummy dates back approximately 3,290 years and belonged to an adult male who exhibited severe symptoms of the plague at the time of his tragic death.

The bubonic plague, also referred to as the “Black Death,” is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It reached its peak in the 14th century when it swept across Europe, killing millions of people.

While most previous evidence of the plague has been found in Europe and Asia, this recent discovery confirms its presence in North Africa during ancient times.

By analyzing the mummy using radiocarbon dating techniques, researchers determined that it dates to the end of the Second Intermediate Period or the beginning of the New Kingdom. Genetic analysis further revealed the presence of bacterial DNA in the bone tissues and intestinal contents, indicating that the disease had reached an advanced stage at the time of the individual’s death.

In a summary presented at the European Meeting of the Paleopathology Association, researchers noted that this is the first “prehistoric bacterial genome” discovered outside Eurasia (Europe and Asia), providing evidence of the plague’s presence in ancient Egypt.

Although current research does not yet provide a clear answer regarding the extent of the plague’s spread in ancient Egypt, earlier studies suggest potential outbreaks along the Nile River in ancient times.

It is believed that the plague was transmitted to humans via fleas that fed on Nile rats, which then spread the disease to black rats transported on trade ships.