Oldest evidence of plague found in Siberia, dating back 5,500 years

Scientists have unearthed the oldest known evidence of the plague, revealing that the deadly disease ravaged populations 5,500 years ago. This discovery pushes back the timeline of plague epidemics by 200 years. Researchers found plague DNA in the teeth of 18 prehistoric hunter-gatherers from four burial sites near Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Carbon dating of the remains indicated that the plague caused two epidemics, with the earliest cases appearing around 5,500 years ago. The study, published in Nature, suggests the prehistoric plague evolved gradually and infected several human families. It likely originated from marmots, with transmission occurring through consumption of raw organs or contact with hides during butchering. The disease spread between people via coughing and sneezing.

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To understand our own history, we believe it is extremely important to understand the history of plague.

Many of the individuals who died were children between eight and 11 years old. The researchers noted that children may have been more vulnerable due to their developing immune systems. The presence of multiple victims, including three girls buried together and a presumed aunt and nephew, suggests the plague could kill individuals and spread through epidemics. This ancient strain evolved long before the bubonic plague that caused the "Black Death" in the 14th century, but evidence shows earlier forms were equally lethal, affecting not only crowded settlements but also small, nomadic groups.

"To understand our own history, we believe it is extremely important to understand the history of plague," said study co-author Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Copenhagen. Ruairidh McLeod, a study co-author and ancient DNA researcher at the University of Oxford, added, "The people who buried the dead knew who these people were when they were alive, and that is a really human element in all this scientific work."

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The people who buried the dead knew who these people were when they were alive, and that is a really human element in all this scientific work.