The pottery wheel from Mesopotamia first appeared in Egypt at about the time the man lived, a period when the earliest pyramids began to spring up near modern-day Cairo, starting with the Step Pyramid of the pharaoh Djoser at Saqqara and later the Great Pyramid of the pharaoh Khufu at Giza.

The genome of a man who lived in Egypt over 4500 years ago offers a new window on the ancient society and hints at connections with Mesopotamia

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.