Ancient Chilean Mummies Provide First Genetic Proof of Early Smallpox Arrival in South America

A team of scientists recovered ancient DNA from 13 bone fragments excavated at the Camarones archaeological site in northern Chile. Analysis by Shigeki Nakagome of Trinity College Dublin uncovered smallpox-specific genetic signatures in two individuals—a man and a woman—who are dated to have died between 1492 and 1631. Published in Science, the study provides the first direct molecular evidence that smallpox reached the southern reaches of the Americas during the early colonial period.

While the introduction of the disease after European arrival has been accepted by historians, this discovery confirms it for the first time in South America. The research prompts new inquiries into the pathways of viral spread, including long-standing native trade networks or transmission linked to the African slave trade. Patricia Foster of Indiana University, not involved in the study, said the results give genetic proof of a historical consensus. The work underscores how ancient DNA can illuminate longstanding mysteries about past pandemics.