Congenital pathologies and developmental defects in archaeological populations on the desert coast of Antofagasta: case-study insights into their origin

Abstract

This article presents a synthesis and discussion regarding congenital pathologies and developmental defects identified in the axial skeletons of individuals from different archaeological periods on the Antofagasta coast. Despite the small number of cases in the analyzed sample (n = 6), the research compares that figure with the cases reported for the coastal area of Arica and Tarapacá, revealing no statistically significant differences between the areas. Given the environmental and ethnohistorical background of the area, we propose that exposure to several natural contaminants and an endogamic kinship system are the most likely causes of these pathologies.