Ancient sacrifices: New findings reveal family victims in Peru
A terrifying discovery by researchers in Peru has been revealed. According to their findings, an ancient culture practiced religious rituals that involved sacrificing family members, specifically targeting teenage children as "ritual victims."
National Geographic, citing the American Journal of the National Academy of Sciences, describes the brutal ritual uncovered by the researchers. It involved the sacrifice of family members.
Historians and archaeologists are aware of similar stories concerning ancient peoples in South America. National Geographic reminds us that in 1487, during a four-day ceremony honouring the god Huitzilopochtli, tens of thousands of prisoners were executed by the Aztecs.
Were family members sacrificed? Shocking findings of researchers in Peru
A similarly shocking story has come to light recently. According to researchers' analyses, the Moche culture, which developed on the northern coast of Peru between 100 and 800 AD, engaged in human sacrifice practices. In 2005, in one of the tombs, the remains of six people were discovered — a woman, three men, and two teenagers. Initially, it appeared that these individuals were not related, but the latest reports indicate they were family.
One aspect is particularly shocking: the teenagers were suffocated. Researchers believe that one of them was sacrificed to his own father. According to Professor Fehren-Schmitz, who spoke with Live Science, suffocation was considered a "private and dignified" form of sacrifice, reserved for individuals of higher social or spiritual status.
National Geographic reminds us that there were also cultures in Europe that practiced human sacrifices, including the Celtic culture.
