根据发表在《分析化学》杂志上的一篇报道称，在公元前13世纪的埃及孟菲斯市市长普塔弥斯的墓穴中，考古学家发现了一块奶酪，他们认为这可能是世界上最古老的奶酪。
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.
探测者们从墓穴中挖出了一个罐子，里面装着一团白色的固体物质。该墓穴于1885年首次被挖掘出来，但后来被流沙覆盖直到2010年。
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.
在罐子旁边，考古学家发现了一块帆布，他们认为这是用来盖住或保存罐子里的东西的。
Alongside the jar, the archaeologists found a canvas cloth that they believe was used to cover or preserve the jar's contents.
在测试这种白色物质时，研究人员发现了多肽的组合，表明这是一种由牛奶、绵羊奶或山羊奶制成的乳制品。
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.
此外，样本中还发现了布氏杆菌梅里坦氏菌，这种细菌会导致潜在的致命疾病布氏杆菌病（也被称为地中海热），通常通过未经巴氏消毒的乳制品传播。如果得到证实，这也将是该疾病的最早证据。
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.
目前还不清楚是否是这块奶酪害死了普塔弥斯。
No word yet on whether it was the cheese that did ol' Ptahmes in.