Ancient DNA Uncovers Deadly Plague in Siberian Hunter-Gatherers 5,500 Years Ago
A new study published in Nature reveals that the plague was a lethal disease 5,500 years ago, affecting small, mobile hunter-gatherer communities in Siberia. This finding predates the rise of agriculture and urban centers, which are typically associated with plague epidemics. The research challenges common perceptions that link the disease primarily to rats and crowded medieval cities.
New research has provided insights into the ancient history of the plague, indicating its lethality among human populations approximately 5,500 years ago. The study focused on small, mobile hunter-gatherer communities located in Siberia.
This discovery suggests that the disease was already a significant threat to human life long before the development of agriculture and the establishment of cities. These conditions are commonly believed to have created the environment conducive to large-scale plague epidemics.
Traditional associations of plague often include rats, congested medieval urban settings, and the widespread epidemics that impacted Europe during and after the Middle Ages. The recent findings challenge these long-held historical understandings of the disease's origins and early impact.
According to Phys.org, the findings were published in a new study in the journal Nature.
