Oldest known plague outbreak killed hunter-gatherer children
New Scientist 2026-06-17 16:00:53
Context: In Siberia, a community of hunter-gatherers was devastated by the plague more than 5,000 years ago, as revealed by DNA evidence. This ancient outbreak challenges the prevailing idea that major disease outbreaks did not occur before the advent of farming and large settlements. The discovery provides new insights into the history of the plague and its impact on human societies.
Key Facts
- DNA evidence has confirmed that the plague bacteria Yersinia pestis caused a major outbreak in a hunter-gatherer community in Siberia around 5,000 years ago, resulting in the deaths of several children.
- The ancient plague outbreak was identified in a group of 17 individuals buried together in a single grave in the region of Siberia, with DNA analysis suggesting a high level of genetic relatedness among the victims.
- The discovery was made by a team of researchers who analyzed DNA samples from the ancient remains, which revealed a strain of the plague bacteria that is distinct from modern strains.
- The finding challenges the conventional view that the plague emerged as a major human disease only with the rise of cities and farming, around 4,000 years ago, and suggests that the disease may have had a more complex and ancient history.