埃及古墓中發現了迄今最古老的奶酪

Archaeologists at the tomb of Ptahmes -- mayor of Memphis, Egypt, during the 13th century BC -- have uncovered what they believe could be the world's oldest cheese, according to a report published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.

根據發表在《分析化學》雜誌上的一篇報道稱，在公元前13世紀的埃及孟菲斯市市長普塔彌斯的墓穴中，考古學家發現了一塊奶酪，他們認爲這可能是世界上最古老的奶酪。

The explorers unearthed a jar containing a solid, whitish mass from the tomb, which was first dug up in 1885 but covered under drifting sands until 2010.

探測者們從墓穴中挖出了一個罐子，裏面裝着一團白色的固體物質。該墓穴於1885年首次被挖掘出來，但後來被流沙覆蓋直到2010年。

Alongside the jar, the archaeologists found a canvas cloth that they believe was used to cover or preserve the jar's contents.

在罐子旁邊，考古學家發現了一塊帆布，他們認爲這是用來蓋住或保存罐子裏的東西的。

When researchers tested the whitish substance, they found a combination of peptides that indicate a dairy product made of cow milk and either sheep or goat milk.

在測試這種白色物質時，研究人員發現了多肽的組合，表明這是一種由牛奶、綿羊奶或山羊奶製成的乳製品。

The sample also showed Brucella melitensis, a bacterium that leads to the potentially deadly disease brucellosis -- also called Mediterranean fever -- and typically transmitted via unpasteurized dairy products. If confirmed, it would also be the earliest evidence of the disease.

此外，樣本中還發現了布氏桿菌梅里坦氏菌，這種細菌會導致潛在的致命疾病布氏桿菌病（也被稱爲地中海熱），通常通過未經巴氏消毒的乳製品傳播。如果得到證實，這也將是該疾病的最早證據。

No word yet on whether it was the cheese that did ol' Ptahmes in.

目前還不清楚是否是這塊奶酪害死了普塔彌斯。