Scientists have uncovered fascinating insights into health from a 1,300-year-old cave in Mexico. By studying ancient human feces, they found that people back then dealt with many gut infections.
Drew Capone, an environmental health expert at Indiana University, described this research as like finding a biological time capsule. Each sample sheds light on the health challenges faced by people from the past. The team analyzed paleofeces—desiccated feces—from a cave in the Rio Zape Valley, dating between A.D. 725 and 920. Their findings were recently shared in the journal PLOS One.
The Cave of the Dead Children, excavated in the late 1950s, revealed human and animal remains, plant matter, and artifacts from the Loma San Gabriel culture. These people practiced agriculture, created unique ceramics, and lived in small villages. Unfortunately, they also sometimes engaged in child sacrifice, which led to the cave’s eerie name.
Earlier studies showed that these ancient residents had parasites like hookworms and pinworms. The recent research built on these findings by using modern molecular techniques to examine ten distinct fecal samples. Joe Brown from the University of North Carolina noted the potential of using such techniques to unlock more about ancient life.
The study revealed a variety of pathogens. Researchers found that every sample had at least one harmful microbe, often including E. coli and Blastocystis, which can cause gastrointestinal issues. Additionally, Shigella and Giardia were detected, both notorious for causing intestinal illnesses.
This high presence of microbes indicates that the people of the Loma San Gabriel culture faced significant sanitation challenges. Contaminated drinking water, food, and soil likely spread these pathogens. While the DNA of these ancient germs was preserved for centuries, the team suggests that many more pathogens might have existed in the samples but decomposed over time.
Understanding these ancient health issues highlights how far we’ve come in sanitation and health practices. Historical insights like these remind us of the continuous struggle to manage infectious diseases, a challenge still relevant today.
For more information on the implications of ancient pathogens, you can check this research article from PLOS One or explore additional studies on ancient health practices.
