The recovery of human remains believed to belong to two victims of the so-called 19th century Obligado massacre in Santa Fe province has brought new evidence that could help establish what really happened during the infamous slaughter of Indigenous people.

The Obligado massacre took place in March 1887 at a time when the Argentine state was still defining its frontiers and was locked in conflicts with the Indigenous tribes living in the region. 

While there are solid accounts that the slaughter took place, details regarding the particulars are scant, including the actual number of victims. This uncertainty could finally be put to rest thanks to a recent find by the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF, in Spanish).

At the beginning of August 2026, the EAAF carried out an archaeological excavation at San Antonio de Obligado, in northern Santa Fe, recovering skeletal remains belonging to two individuals. 

The team also identified the boundaries of a burial pit, paving the way for a more extensive excavation.

The work was ordered by the Federal Court of Reconquista at the request of prosecutor Roberto Salum, who appointed the EAAF as an expert in a Juicio por la Verdad, or Truth Trial. 

These proceedings, part of Argentina’s judicial system, do not carry criminal charges and are aimed at reconstructing what took place and locating the victims’ remains. 

“For trials seeking the truth, bodies are documents,” Juan Nóbile, the EAAF anthropologist in charge of the excavation, told the Herald.

“From the remains, we can discover the cause of death and also extract information about sexuality, age, general characteristics of the population, and a whole series of elements that will........

© Buenos Aires Herald