Plague Discovered at Lake Baikal Predates Known Pandemics by 5,000 Years

Ancient Yersinia pestis DNA Uncovered

According to НВ — Техно: A research team has identified ancient DNA of the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis in over a dozen individuals who died from previously unknown strains. This discovery was made at four cemeteries along the Angara River, near Lake Baikal. Scientists found two distinct disease outbreaks, dating back approximately 5,596–5,341 years ago and 5,126–4,926 years ago. The findings challenge existing assumptions that plague epidemics emerged only after the rise of agriculture.

Study and Its Implications

Published in the journal Nature, the study suggests the disease was most likely pneumonic plague. Researchers believe the plague may have spread from wild marmots living around Lake Baikal. As part of the study, ancient DNA extracted from the teeth of 46 individuals was analyzed, with Yersinia pestis detected in 18 of them.

“We got a truly striking result-we found a lot of plague here much earlier than expected.” - Ruairidh Macleod, ancient genomics researcher at the University of Oxford

According to the study, the first outbreak lasted from roughly 5,596 to 5,341 years ago, while the second spanned from 5,126 to 4,926 years ago. In one grave, three close female relatives were discovered; in another, a nephew and aunt were found. This suggests there were survivors who knew the deceased in life and buried them in communal graves.

“This is as close as we will ever get to proving the virulence of these early epidemics.” - Ruairidh Macleod

Ultimately, these new insights into ancient plague highlight the importance of studying epidemics across different eras, particularly during periods when agriculture had not yet become the foundation of society. The discovery at Lake Baikal could reshape our understanding of disease transmission in prehistoric times and its impact on early human communities. Understanding how diseases spread in the past may aid modern medicine in combating epidemics and raise awareness about potential risks linked to ancient infections.