Genetic Analysis Reveals Family Sacrifices in 1,500-Year-Old Moche Tomb in Peru

A tomb from the Moche culture, dating back 1,500 years and located at the Huaca Cao Viejo temple in Peru, has been found to contain evidence of familial sacrifices. Genetic analysis of six individuals interred in the burial site revealed that two teenagers, who had been strangled, were closely related to the adults they were buried alongside. This discovery, reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), highlights a unique ritualistic practice previously undocumented in the region.

Family Connections Unveiled in Burial Site

As per a report by LiveScience, the Moche civilisation, which thrived along Peru’s northern coast between A.D. 300 and 950, is known for its ceremonial human sacrifices to deities. However, researchers involved in the study indicated this discovery marks the first instance of sacrifices involving close adolescent relatives during funerary rites. According to Lars Fehren-Schmitz, an archaeogeneticist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who spoke to Live Science, no previous archaeological findings have suggested such a practice.

The analysis determined that the teenagers were sacrificed upon the deaths of family members. One boy was likely sacrificed following his father’s death, while a girl appears to have been offered during her aunt’s burial. The relationship between the sacrificed individuals and the dead was confirmed through genomic sequencing, which also revealed that the tomb held the remains of a high-status woman, referred to as Señora de Cao, along with her brothers, one of whom was the father of the sacrificed girl.

Insights into Moche Rituals and Society

The Huaca Cao Viejo tomb, part of the El Brujo archaeological complex, was first uncovered in 2005. It held elaborate burials, including a pyramid-like painted structure. Fehren-Schmitz noted that the sacrifices by strangulation appeared to be more private and dignified, potentially reserved for individuals of significant societal or spiritual importance.