The comparison found evidence of substantial genetic continuity between the ancient individuals at Chichén Itzá and the modern Maya people from this community.

The genetic ancestry of the ancient children was closely related to the genetic ancestry of living Maya people in the region.

This finding may seem intuitive — of course the ancient Maya are the ancestors of the modern Maya — but it carries specific scientific significance in the context of the post-contact demographic history of the Maya people.

The arrival of Europeans in Mesoamerica beginning in the early sixteenth century brought with it diseases to which Indigenous populations had no prior exposure.

Smallpox, measles, typhus, and other epidemic diseases swept through the Americas with catastrophic effect.