Genetic Analysis Uncovers Family Sacrifice in Ancient Moche Burial
Researchers reveal that two adolescents were ritually strangled 1,500 years ago to accompany elite relatives in death, offering new insights into Moche societal practices.
- Archaeologists studied a 1,500-year-old burial site in Peru's Chicama Valley, linked to the ancient Moche culture, which flourished between 300 and 950 CE.
- Genetic testing confirmed that six individuals buried together, including the high-status Señora de Cao, were close relatives spanning four generations.
- Two adolescents, identified as a niece and the son of the Señora’s brother, were ritually strangled and buried alongside their elite relatives, marking the first confirmed intra-family sacrifice in Moche culture.
- Isotopic analysis revealed that one sacrificed adolescent likely came from a distant region, suggesting familial ties extended beyond local boundaries.
- The findings highlight the Moche practice of intertwining kinship, wealth, and authority, with sacrifices potentially reinforcing social or spiritual hierarchies.
IFLScience 
San Francisco Chronicle 
