This discovery supports long-suspected ties between Egypt and Mesopotamia, once inferred only from trade goods and shared pottery styles. The Nile, researchers say, likely acted as an “ancient superhighway” for both people and ideas.

The oldest known Egyptian DNA sample, from a man who lived between 4,500 to 4,800 years ago, offers new insights into the potential ancestry of those who belonged to the enduring civilization.

But while experts now know a fair amount about ancient Egyptian life, they still understand very little about the population’s genetic makeup. Researchers have genomically analyzed three specimens to date,