Signs of Respiratory Illness Found on 5,000-Year-Old Children's Bones in Spain

BURGOS, SPAIN—Researchers led by Sonia Díaz-Navarro of the University of Burgos examined the skeletons of 48 children recovered from Camino del Molino, a 5,000-year-old circular burial cave in southeastern Spain, according to a Phys.org report. The bones of more than 1,300 people were deposited at the site over a period of more than 700 years. More than 90 percent of the children in the study exhibited changes to their bones associated with disease. About 67 percent had porous bones, in addition to changes related to respiratory diseases. “The pattern we see probably reflects a broader burden of recurrent or prolonged respiratory disease rather than a single pathogen,” Díaz-Navarro said. The children were likely exposed to indoor smoke, dust, particles from crafting and food processing, and close contact with animals, which may have had an impact on their health, she explained. The highest rates of bone changes were found among children between the ages of one and four and 10 and 14 years old. These changes include grooves and pitting inside the skulls, vertebrae, hip, and pelvic bones, as can occur in early stage tuberculosis infections. The study also suggests that individuals who had been ill did not receive different treatment after death. “This is particularly important because Camino del Molino includes individuals with very visible or significant conditions,” Díaz-Navarro said. The researchers plan to look for traces of tuberculosis bacteria and other pathogens, investigate possible relationships among the dead, and reconstruct their diets. Read the original scholarly article about this research in the International Journal of Paleopathology. To read about two adolescents who succumbed to a respiratory disease at Roman Butrint, go to "The Persistence of Brucellosis."