Scientists have found the oldest known evidence of the plague, which sparked deadly outbreaks dating back about 5,500 years ago—some 200 years earlier than previously thought.

Link to study (Open Access)

Willerslev and other researchers looked for traces of plague-causing bacteria in remains from four cemeteries near Siberia’s Lake Baikal. They found remnants of plague DNA in teeth from 18 ancient hunter-gatherers.

Dating the carbon in the bones revealed that the plague triggered two outbreaks, with the first cases detected around 5,500 years ago.