A piece of birch bark tar gum unearthed in western Sweden has provided a unique window into ancient life, revealing the oldest known human DNA in the region. Excavated from the Huseby Klev site in the early 1990s, this 10,000-year-old artifact was initially thought to be just another example of Stone Age tool-making material.
New DNA sequencing techniques have confirmed that the gum was chewed by three individuals – two women and one man – over a decade ago. This has provided genetic insights that were previously impossible to obtain. The study, published in Communications Biology, sheds light on the lives of early Mesolithic people who used birch bark tar as an adhesive in tool production and possibly as a chewing gum.
Human remains from this era in Scandinavia are rare and often contain poorly preserved genetic material. However, the analysis of the preserved chewed material revealed strong links between the three individuals and ancient populations from Ice Age Europe. The tools found at the Huseby Klev site appear to have originated in Russia, supporting dual evidence of prehistoric movement into Scandinavia.
This breakthrough aligns with previous hypotheses about dual migration routes into the region. The discovery has significant implications for understanding prehistoric lifestyles, including diet, health, and social structure. DNA from ancient chewing gums holds enormous potential for tracing the origin and movement of peoples, as well as providing insights into their social relations and diseases. This rare genetic snapshot from ancient Scandinavia offers modern science a unique glimpse into the lives of early people who inhabited the region.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/07/archaeologists-ancient-gum-found-sweden