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Using the degradation of papyrus chloroplast DNA as a general model of molecular degradation in Egypt, Marota et al.(2002) proposed that PCR-amplifiable DNA is unlikely to survive in ancient Egyptian specimens. If correct, this suggests that the numerous studies claiming to have successfully amplified host and/or pathogen DNA from ancient Egyptians (eg, Zink et al., 2000a, b, 2001, 2003a, b) must be reevaluated.

In defense of ancient Egyptian DNA, Zink and Nerlich (2003) criticized the argument of Marota et al.(2002) on two fronts. They suggested both that DNA degradation may be slower than that calculated by Marota et al.(2002), and that the results of several successful molecular studies prove that ancient DNA (aDNA) can survive in Egypt. We believe that the arguments used by Zink and Nerlich (2003) are either flawed or inconclusive, and wish to reassert the premise that in most, if not all, ancient …