Ancient DNA Finally Reveals the REAL Origin of the Black Death

Summary

The Black Death, one of the deadliest pandemics in history, has haunted humanity for centuries. New research uncovers its origin in Kyrgyzstan in 1338, nearly a decade before the plague reached Europe. Archaeological and genetic evidence reveals that the ancient plague bacterium, *Yersinia pestis*, first diversified in the region, creating the deadly strain responsible for the Black Death. The disease spread through interconnected Silk Road trade routes, carried by rats and fleas. This discovery shifts our understanding of the pandemic's origins, pinpointing a forgotten graveyard as the epicenter of one of history’s darkest chapters.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Black Death, one of the deadliest pandemics in history, killed 50-60% of Europe's population between 1347 and 1353.
• 😀 For over 600 years, historians struggled to find the origin of the Black Death, making it one of history's greatest mysteries.
• 😀 The discovery of an inscription in Kyrgyzstan in 1886 provided an early clue, with a grave marked by the word 'pestilence.'
• 😀 The archaeological team found evidence of a large-scale mortality crisis in a local trading settlement, suggesting a link to the Black Death.
• 😀 Historian Philip Slavven's research revealed that over 118 individuals died of 'pestilence' in Kyrgyzstan in 1338-1339, nearly a decade before the Black Death reached Europe.
• 😀 Paleogeneticists at the Max Planck Institute identified the bacterium Yersinia pestis in the ancient remains, confirming that the Kyrgyzstan outbreak was the origin of the plague.
• 😀 The bacterium Y. pestis underwent a significant genetic diversification in the early 14th century, leading to the Black Death's devastating spread.
• 😀 The strain found in Kyrgyzstan was identified as the 'ancestral strain,' the genetic origin of all subsequent Black Death outbreaks.
• 😀 Zoonotic spillover, a process where diseases jump from animals to humans, likely allowed the plague to spread from wild rodents to humans.
• 😀 The trade networks of the Silk Road, with infected fleas traveling on rats aboard caravans, played a critical role in spreading the plague from Central Asia to Europe.

Q & A

What was the Black Death, and when did it occur?

The Black Death, also known as the Great Mortality or Pestilence, was a devastating pandemic that swept through Europe from 1347 to 1353, killing an estimated 50 to 60% of Europe's population.

What is the significance of the 1886 excavation near Lake Isek Kul?

In 1886, Russian archaeologists uncovered graves of a community near Lake Isek Kul in Kyrgyzstan, dating to 1338-1339, nearly a decade before the Black Death arrived in Europe. This discovery provided early evidence of a large-scale mortality event linked to pestilence.

How did the word 'pestilence' appear in the findings of the 1886 excavation?

The inscription on one of the gravestones read 'This is the tomb of the believer Sanmach. He died of pestilence.' This term 'pestilence' was a medieval catch-all for diseases that caused widespread death, and it stood out in the archaeological findings.

What was the crucial piece of evidence that linked the Kyrgyzstan graves to the Black Death?

Paleogeneticists extracted DNA from the remains of seven individuals buried at the Kyrgyzstan site, and they found the unmistakable genetic signature of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the plague, confirming the presence of the Black Death.

What discovery did the Max Planck Institute's research on the plague reveal?

The Max Planck Institute's research showed that the plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, underwent significant diversification in the early 14th century. One of these new lineages was the strain responsible for the Black Death in Europe.

How did the plague bacterium spread from Kyrgyzstan to Europe?

The plague spread through trade routes, particularly via the Silk Road. Traders carrying goods, including infected black rats with fleas, unknowingly transported the disease across Central Asia, eventually reaching Europe through the Crimean Peninsula.

What role did climate change play in the emergence of the Black Death?

Researchers suggest that a sudden change in climate, particularly unusually warm and wet springs, led to a boom in rodent populations. This, in turn, increased the number of fleas carrying the plague bacterium, which then spread to humans.

What were the key factors that enabled the plague to spread so quickly across Europe?

The rapid spread was facilitated by the dense populations of medieval cities, unsanitary conditions, and an explosion in the rat population, which created ideal habitats for infected fleas to thrive.

Why were the graves in the Kyrgyzstan excavation linked to trade and not isolated villagers?

The graves contained artifacts such as pearls from the Indian Ocean and coins from Iran, suggesting that the people buried there were traders, part of the Silk Road network, which facilitated the spread of the plague.

What was the biological warfare incident associated with the Black Death?

In 1346, the Mongol army besieging the port city of Kafa catapulted the bodies of their plague victims over the city walls, which is considered one of the earliest examples of biological warfare.