5,000-year-old famous mass grave reveals how ancient disease affected children

A study of Spain’s 5,000-year-old Camino del Molino mass grave examined 1,348 people and found strong signs of disease among children.

Of the 48 children studied, 92% showed bone changes linked to illness, especially porous lesions and damage associated with respiratory infection.

The findings point to prolonged respiratory disease in a Copper Age community in Iberia.

Researchers say the work underscores the value of population-level analysis in paleopathology for understanding ancient child health.