Archaeologists Have Unearthed Skeletons Of Inca Children Dating Back 500 Years, Revealing Evidence Of Smallpox.

 

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of smallpox in the remains of two toddlers buried in a 16th-century cemetery in Huanchaco, a small fishing town on the northwest coast of Peru. This cemetery, associated with one of the earliest colonial churches built by the Spanish between 1535 and 1540, contained 120 burials representing the early-colonial population. Notably, 75% of these burials were children, with 67% of them aged 5 years or younger. This high prevalence of child burials suggests a novel disease affecting a particularly vulnerable segment of the population with developing immune systems, according to the researchers’ study published in the June issue of the International Journal of Paleopathology.

The study focused on the remains of two children who were approximately 18 months old at the time of their deaths. Their skeletons exhibited numerous destructive lesions in joints such as the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. These lesions, characterized by moth-eaten holes, are consistent with osteomyelitis variolosa, a bone infection triggered by the smallpox virus.

This discovery marks the earliest known instances of osteomyelitis variolosa in South America. Given the frequent smallpox outbreaks following European contact, the study suggests that many archaeological cases of smallpox in children under 5 years old may remain unidentified, with skeletal changes indicating infection rates ranging from 5% to 20%.

Related Posts

DECODING THE MYSTERY: A plane landed with 92 skeletons after 50 years, especially the skeletons that haven’t yet decomposed, giving scientists a headache. Where has the plane been all these years?

Decoding the mystery: A plane landed with 92 skeletons after 50 years, and scientists are baffled   In an event that seems straight out of a science fiction novel, a…

Read more

DECODIFICANDO EL MISTERIO: Un avión aterrizó con 92 ESQUELETOS después de 50 años, especialmente los esqueletos que aún no se han descompuesto, lo que da dolor de cabeza a los científicos. ¿Dónde ha estado el avión todos estos años?

DECODIFICANDO EL MISTERIO: Un avión aterrizó con 92 ESQUELETOS después de 50 años, y los científicos están desconcertados En un suceso que parece extraído de una novela de ciencia ficción,…

Read more

DÉCOUVERTE MYSTÈRE : Des peintures rupestres anciennes récemment découvertes sous la grotte la plus profonde du monde révèlent des preuves d’une civilisation perdue !

Dans une découverte qui pourrait changer l’histoire de l’humanité, un groupe de spéléologues a découvert d’anciennes peintures rupestres dans un endroit inattendu : le fond de la grotte la plus…

Read more

MYSTERY DISCOVERY: Newly discovered ancient cave paintings beneath the world’s deepest cave reveal evidence of a lost civilization!

In a discovery that could change human history, a group of speleologists has discovered ancient cave paintings in an unexpected location: the back of the world’s deepest cave. These enigmatic…

Read more

DESCUBRIMIENTO DE MISTERIO: ¡Pinturas rupestres antiguas recién descubiertas bajo la cueva más profunda del mundo revelan evidencia de una civilización perdida!

En un hallazgo que podría cambiar la historia de la humanidad, un grupo de espeleólogos ha descubierto pinturas rupestres antiguas en una ubicación inesperada: el fondo de la cueva más…

Read more

Nouveau projet Tesla Van 2025 : Elon Musk vient d’annoncer le plan de production et un premier aperçu

Elon Musk, connu pour ses initiatives audacieuses en matière d’exploration spatiale, de véhicules électriques et d’énergie durable, a une fois de plus capté l’attention du monde entier avec son dernier projet…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *