Scientists Extract Sheeppox DNA From Medieval Parchment

Researchers extracted DNA from parchment used in books from the 8th to 14th centuries and identified 21 sheeppox virus genomes dating from 1700 BCE to 1917 CE. Combined with archaeological samples, the data reconstructed over 3,500 years of sheeppox evolution.

• DNA was collected by rubbing erasers on parchment, a non-invasive method
• 21 sheeppox virus genomes were found, some up to 3,700 years old
• The virus diverged from related diseases in the early Bronze Age, around 3000 BCE
• The sheeppox genome stayed stable over the last few millennia