A devastating plague swept through northern Europe 5400 years ago, leading to a significant decline in the population, particularly in regions like Scandinavia and Denmark. Recent studies analyzing ancient DNA from 108 individuals buried in Sweden and Denmark have provided compelling evidence that the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis was present in 18 of them at the time of their death.
The plague outbreak appears to have occurred in three separate waves over several generations, with the last outbreak being caused by a more dangerous strain of the bacterium. The DNA analysis revealed that the plague was widespread and likely caused serious illness, leading to person-to-person spread, possibly through pneumonic plague or even human lice.
These findings challenge previous beliefs that the plague was not a major pandemic but rather isolated cases. The presence of the plague in these ancient individuals suggests that it had the potential to spread rapidly and could have been responsible for the population decline in Neolithic Europe.
While some experts remain cautious about attributing the population decline solely to the plague, the evidence presented in this study supports the theory that the devastating disease played a significant role in reshaping the population of northern Europe 5000 years ago. Additional research is needed to determine the full extent of the plague’s impact in other regions of Europe during this period.
The study’s lead researcher, Frederik Seersholm, acknowledges that more evidence is required to conclusively prove the link between the plague and the Neolithic decline. However, the findings of this study provide valuable insights into the potential spread and impact of the plague during this critical period in European history.
Moving forward, further investigations will be conducted to explore the prevalence of the plague in other regions of Europe and better understand its role in shaping ancient populations. While the idea of resurrecting the strain of plague that caused the Neolithic decline is considered too risky, ongoing research will continue to shed light on this devastating chapter in European history.
