Ancient plague: sheep may have been the first carriers of a deadly disease.

According to ТСН: Archaeologists and geneticists have obtained compelling evidence for the first time that a domesticated animal could have been the carrier of the oldest known strain of plague. This concerns the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which spread through Eurasia thousands of years before the infamous medieval Black Death.

As part of a large-scale study, scientists analyzed DNA fragments from the bones and teeth of cattle, goats, and sheep dated to the Bronze Age. The aim was to trace the migration of domesticated animals along with humans from the Fertile Crescent through Eurasia. As explained by archaeologist Taylor Hermes from the University of Arkansas, while old DNA from animals is usually heavily damaged and contaminated, it sometimes allows for the detection of pathogen traces.

Significant discovery

An unexpected find was made in the remains of a domesticated sheep, about 4,000 years old, found at the archaeological site of Arkaim. In one of its teeth, researchers discovered DNA from an ancient strain of Yersinia pestis, which was not yet capable of spreading through fleas, as happened in the Middle Ages.

This discovery explains how the Bronze Age plague could have spread over vast territories. Previously, genetic traces of this strain were found only in human remains located far apart. The new find suggests that domesticated animals may have played a significant role in the spread of the infection, coming into contact with both other animals and humans.

Possible transmission routes

Researchers suggest that sheep might have contracted the disease from wild fauna without becoming ill themselves, and then transmitted the bacteria between herds and shepherds. Scientists also point to a potential reverse pathway of transmission - from human to animal. Likely natural reservoirs for the plague could have been rodents of the Eurasian steppes or even migratory birds.

This is only the third case of detecting Y. pestis in ancient animals. Previously found samples – a medieval rat and a Neolithic dog – did not contribute significantly to genetic data. The importance of the new find increases as Arkaim is associated with the Sintashta culture, whose representatives actively expanded their herds and territories, which could have facilitated the spread of the infection.

Researchers note that one genome is insufficient to completely reconstruct the ecology of prehistoric plague. However, the results indicate that the role of animals in its spread was much greater than previously thought.

Additionally, on the oldest known wooden boat in Scandinavia, scientists discovered a unique find – the fingerprint of a person who lived over 2,400 years ago.

This find not only opens new horizons in understanding the epidemiology of ancient viruses but also underscores the importance of studying the links between domesticated animals and human communities throughout history. The discovery of the Yersinia pestis strain in ancient animals may help scientists better understand the mechanisms of disease spread in the past and their impact on the development of civilizations.