How Baboons Helped Solve the Land of Punt Mystery

Baboons played a surprising role in solving the mystery of the ancient Land of Punt. For years, historians didn’t know exactly where Punt was located, but it was a major trading partner of Egypt, famous for its exotic goods. Some of those goods included baboons, which the Egyptians imported. Researchers studied ancient mummified baboons and compared their chemical makeup to modern baboons. They found that the baboons likely came from an area around present-day Eritrea or Ethiopia. Thanks to these furry creatures, scientists have a much better idea of where Punt was!