DNA obtained from the remains of a man who lived in ancient Egypt around the time the first pyramids were built is providing evidence of the ties between two great cultures of the period, with a fifth of his genetic ancestry traced to Mesopotamia.

For the first time, scientists have sequenced the oldest and complete DNA set of an ancient Egyptian man, dating to when the pyramids were first constructed.

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.