Researchers analyzing DNA at ancient Mayan city of Chichén Itzá, a site for human sacrifices, found that young boys, including twins, were buried in a mass grave there.
The ancient Mayan city of Chichén Itzá, long known as a site of human sacrifice, has fascinated millions of visitors from around the world. But new research reveals more clues to the identities of some of the young victims who were buried at the site in southeastern Mexico - as well as their relatives who are still alive today.
Rodrigo Barquera, lead author of a new paper on the research, said in an interview that the findings were “a breakthrough.” It was the first example of an all-male infant burial site there, said Barquera, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
In addition to the two pairs of identical twins, the team found that a quarter of the remains tested had a close relative in the cistern, “suggesting that the sacrificed children may have been specifically selected for their close biological kinship.” Due to the fact that not all of the remains could be tested, researchers say the number of children found at the site who were related could have been even higher.They also discovered that the closely related children had consumed similar diets.
The ancient city of Chichén Itzá, home to one of the largest pyramids from the Mayan period, first rose to prominence in A.D. 600. According to UNESCO, the site began to decay in the 15th century - but researchers say it remained a popular site for Mayan pilgrims into the colonial period and beyond. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.
The age of the burial site and its use over years show that Mayan rituals “were much more complex than just offering things to the gods because you need a favor or you need to ask for forgiveness,” he added.
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