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Ancient DNA Reveals Smallpox's American Arrival
13 Aug
Summary
- DNA from Chilean mummies provides evidence of smallpox.
- Infections date to the early colonial period, post-1492.
- This is the first evidence of smallpox in South America.
Geneticists have uncovered the strongest evidence to date that smallpox reached the Americas following European colonization. DNA extracted from mummies found at an archaeological site in northern Chile provided crucial insights into the disease's historical presence.
The research, published in Science, focused on bone samples from individuals believed to have died between 1492 and 1631. Analysis revealed evidence of smallpox infections in two individuals, marking the first genetic proof of the virus in this region of South America.
While historians have long known that smallpox devastated Native populations after European contact, this discovery offers concrete genetic confirmation. The findings raise questions about how the virus traveled so far south, with theories including spread through trade networks or the African slave trade.
