Study Finds 92% of 48 Copper Age Children Showed Disease in Spain's 5,000-Year-Old Mass Grave
Updated
Updated · Interesting Engineering · Jun 1
Study Finds 92% of 48 Copper Age Children Showed Disease in Spain's 5,000-Year-Old Mass Grave
5 articles · Updated · Interesting Engineering · Jun 1
Ninety-two percent of 48 children examined at Spain's Camino del Molino burial site showed at least one disease-related bone change, giving researchers a rare view of childhood illness 5,000 years ago.
Sixty-seven percent had porous lesions and respiratory infection-related skeletal changes, leading the study to point to prolonged, widespread respiratory disease rather than a single pathogen.
The youngest children showed the heaviest burden of lesions, while older adolescents appeared to have survived earlier biological stress with fewer active signs at death.
More than 1,300 people were buried at Camino del Molino—Europe's largest Copper Age mass burial—and the findings suggest close living quarters and exposure to animals, food contaminants or production-related toxins shaped disease patterns.
The authors said the site supports a population-level approach to paleopathology, using lesion frequency, distribution and age-specific mortality to study childhood morbidity beyond single diagnoses.
What invisible killer left its mark on the bones of Copper Age children 5,000 years ago?
Could the air inside ancient homes have been as deadly as some modern industrial pollutants?
If nearly every child was sick, how did these Copper Age communities manage to survive and thrive?
Unveiling Copper Age Childhood: High Rates of Respiratory Disease and Social Care at Camino del Molino, Iberia
Overview
A recent study led by S. Díaz-Navarro, published in 2026, reveals the severe health challenges faced by children during the Copper Age at Camino del Molino in southeastern Iberia. By examining porous skeletal lesions and other bone changes in young individuals, researchers uncovered direct evidence of widespread disease and chronic health issues. The study highlights that respiratory infections were especially common, making illnesses affecting the lungs and airways a dominant concern for children in this ancient community. These findings provide a vivid glimpse into the daily struggles and high mortality rates experienced by non-adults during this period.