Chilean mummies shed light on European smallpox that killed Native Americans

Key Points:

• DNA analysis of mummies in Chile has provided the first direct molecular evidence confirming that European colonists introduced smallpox to the Americas, causing devastating epidemics among indigenous populations.
• The study, published in the journal Science, identified traces of ancient smallpox in mummified remains from the Spanish colonial period, linking the virus to European strains.
• The findings help explain lesions on the mummies previously thought to be caused by arsenic and date the smallpox deaths between 1492 and 1631, supporting historical accounts of the disease's arrival with Spanish colonizers.
• Historians estimate smallpox killed up to 95% of indigenous peoples in the Americas, significantly aiding European conquest and colonization efforts.
• While the exact timing and whether the disease spread deliberately or accidentally remain uncertain, the research underscores the profound impact of epidemics on the course of American history.