Researchers have uncovered direct evidence of the bubonic plague in an ancient Egyptian mummy, indicating that Yersinia pestis was present in North Africa over 3,000 years ago.

The mummy, excavated from a burial site in Saqqara, Egypt, dates back to the late Second Intermediate Period or the early New Kingdom, approximately between 1700 and 1069 BCE.

While previous speculation about the plague in ancient Egypt included flea remains found at Amarna and descriptions in the Ebers Papyrus, this discovery marks the first direct evidence of the disease in the region.

Prior to this finding, all known evidence of Y. pestis had been confined to Europe and Asia, including a significant 5,000-year-old skeleton found in Russia.

The discovery emphasizes the role of ancient trade routes in the spread of the plague, with ships transporting goods, rats, and fleas across the Mediterranean.

Researchers hypothesize that the bacterium may have spread from Nile rats to black rats, which later facilitated the global spread of the Black Death.

The bubonic plague is primarily transmitted through fleas on rodents, leading to severe symptoms and a high fatality rate without modern antibiotics.

Fleas on black rats (Rattus rattus) were likely vectors for the disease, with trade hubs in cities like Alexandria and Byblos serving as hotspots for transmission.

This transmission is believed to have occurred via rats on trade ships, contributing to the devastating impact of the Black Death in the 1300s.

Yersinia pestis, known as the Black Death, has historically caused significant epidemics, including the one that ravaged Europe from 1346 to 1353.

This finding opens new avenues for understanding the historical presence of the plague in ancient civilizations and its potential impact on dynasties and trade.

Overall, this research challenges established beliefs about the origins and timeline of the plague, revealing that ancient societies were more interconnected and vulnerable to biological threats than previously understood.