A team of geneticists and archaeologists from Ireland, France, Iran, Germany, and Austria has sequenced the DNA from a 1,600-year-old sheep mummy from an ancient Iranian salt mine, Chehrābād.
This remarkable specimen has revealed sheep husbandry practices of the ancient Near East, as well as underlining how natural mummification can affect DNA degradation.
The incredible findings have just been published in the international, peer-reviewed journal
Biology Letters.
The salt mine of Chehrābād is known to preserve biological material. Indeed, it is in this mine that human remains of the famed “Salt Men” were recovered, dessicated by the salt-rich environment. The new research confirms that this natural mummification process – where water is removed from a corpse, preserving soft tissues that would otherwise be degraded – also conserved animal remains.
Trinity College Dublin: The "Salt Sheep" of Chehrabad – ancient history brought to life by DNA from 1,600-year-old Iranian sheep mummy – India Education | Latest Education News | Global Educational News indiaeducationdiary.in - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiaeducationdiary.in Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A group of geneticists and archeologists from Ireland, France, Iran, Germany, and Austria sequenced the DNA of 1,600-year-old sheep mummies discovered in an ancient Iranian salt mine, Chehrābād.
This unique specimen has revealed ancient Near Eastern sheep husbandry techniques and demonstrates how natural mummification might impact DNA degradation. The fantastic discoveries were just published in the peer-reviewed international journal Biology Letters.
(Photo : Image from Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum and Zanjan Cultural Heritage Centre, Archaeological Museum of Zanjan.)
Chehrābād Salt Mine
(Photo : Wikimedia Commons)
The Chehrābād salt mine is notable for preserving biological material. Indeed, the famous Salt Men s human bones were discovered in this mine, desiccated by the salty atmosphere. The new study reveals that the natural mummification process involves removing water from a body to preserve soft tissues that would otherwise decay and preserve animal remains
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IMAGE: The mummified sheep leg from which DNA was obtained. Image courtesy of Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum and Zanjan Cultural Heritage Centre, Archaeological Museum of Zanjan. view more
Credit: Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum and Zanjan Cultural Heritage Centre, Archaeological Museum of Zanjan.
A team of geneticists and archaeologists from Ireland, France, Iran, Germany, and Austria has sequenced the DNA from a 1,600-year-old sheep mummy from an ancient Iranian salt mine, Chehrābād. This remarkable specimen has revealed sheep husbandry practices of the ancient Near East, as well as underlining how natural mummification can affect DNA degradation.
The incredible findings have just been published in the international, peer-reviewed journal
Ancient mummified sheep shows same genetic traits as modern breeds siliconrepublic.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from siliconrepublic.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.