Peru Tomb Reveals Suspicious Skeletons & Ancient Rituals
Here’s a breakdown of the key details from the provided text:
discovery: Archaeologists discovered burials near the Puemape Temple Complex on the northwestern coast of Peru.
Date of Burials: the burials date to roughly 400 to 200 B.C., while the temple itself is about 3,000 years old. this suggests the temple may have been abandoned before the sacrifices took place.
Burial Pattern: The individuals where buried face down, which is described as “unusual throughout Andean prehistory.”
Evidence of Sacrifice: Several individuals had skull fractures, ropes around thier necks, and hands tied behind their backs, leading the lead archaeologist to believe they were sacrificed.
Lack of Offerings: Notably, the burials lacked any accompanying offerings or grave goods, which is also considered unusual.
Lead archaeologist: Henry Tontaleán, an archaeology professor at the National University of San Marcos, is leading the team.
* purpose of Sacrifice: Tontaleán believes the sacrifices were offered to the ancient place of worship (the temple).