Some of the Checua individuals showed abscesses in the upper front jaw area, consistent with tooth loss from infection.

Researchers suggested this might be connected to dietary patterns, potentially involving reliance on root vegetables and tubers rather than the more abrasive grain-based diets associated with later agricultural periods.

The Altiplano experienced volcanic activity during prehistoric periods, and researchers noted that eruptions may have periodically damaged surface crops and pushed early inhabitants toward underground food sources.

The Checua site preserves evidence not just of bodies but of habitation.

Postholes — the preserved outlines of the wooden posts that would have supported structures — suggest that the people who lived here were building shelters, not simply camping in the open.