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Ancient Egypt could have been undone by the type of rapid climate change that many of today's policymakers fear.

This is according to tree ring samples found in an old cigar box which reveal the ancient civilisation came to its knees following changes to its food resources and infrastructure.

The find adds to the debate about what led to the collapse of the civilisation more than 3,000 years ago, with theories ranging from wars to feminine and disease.

Ancient Egypt could have been undone by the type of rapid climate change that many of today's policymakers fear. This is according to tree ring samples found in an old cigar box found in an ancient Egyptian coffin (pictured) which reveal this ancient world came to its knees following changes to its food resources

The latest study looked at a cigar box from the Ipi-ha-ishutef Egyptian coffin alongside wood from funeral boats buried near the pyramid of Sesostris III.

'The tree rings show the kind of rapid climate change that we and policymakers fear,' said Professor Stuart Manning from Cornell University.

'This record shows that climate change doesn't have to be as catastrophic as an Ice Age to wreak havoc'.

Researchers at Cornell University in New York used a technique called 'dendro radiocarbon wiggle matching,' to precisely date the items – plus or minus around 10 years.

The coffin of Ipi-ha-ishutef showing details of the decorations on the walls. This is the coffin from which the tree ring samples from the cigar box were taken. The samples showed a small, unusual anomaly following the year 2200 B.C. Paleoclimate research has suggested a major short-term arid event about this time

The technique calibrates radiocarbon isotopes found in the sample tree rings with patterns known from other places in the world that have already identified chronologies.

The samples showed a small, unusual anomaly following the year 2200 B.C. Paleoclimate research has suggested a possible short-term drought event about this time.

'This radiocarbon anomaly would be explained by a change in growing season, that is, climate, dating to exactly this arid period of time,' said Professor Manning from.

'We're showing that radiocarbon and these archaeological objects can confirm and in some ways better date a key climate episode.'

That climate episode, said Professor Manning, had major political implications.

There was just enough change in the climate to upset food resources and other infrastructure, which is likely what led to the collapse of the Akkadian Empire and affected the Old Kingdom of Egypt and a number of other civilisations.

'We're in exactly the same situation as the Akkadians: If something suddenly undid the standard food production model in large areas of the U.S. it would be a disaster,' he said.

Tree rings from the cigar box were analysed alongside wooden boats buried near the pyramid of Sesostris III

Climate change, said Professor Manning, had major political implications. There was just enough change in the climate to upset food resources and other infrastructure, which is likely what led to the collapse of the Akkadian Empire and affected the Old Kingdom of Egypt and a number of other civilisations