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Human sacrifice is a chilling aspect of our shared past. While many archaeologists believe such practices weren't as common as often portrayed, they still occurred, and some even continue today. Some tales of human sacrifice were likely propaganda created by rival states, yet others were confirmed by the very cultures that practiced them. Let’s delve into 10 disturbing discoveries of human sacrifice, focusing on the archaeological evidence and the conclusions drawn from it.
10. Mass Female Sacrifice in Ancient China
The Neolithic era in China spanned around 8,000 years, beginning roughly in 10,000 BC. During this period, societies transitioned from nomadic hunting and gathering to settled agricultural communities. This shift was marked by the domestication of animals, especially pigs, and the development of farming. Beautifully painted pottery found along the Yellow River from this era remains a significant marker of China’s artistic and cultural evolution. These ceremonial pottery pieces were notably distinct from everyday utilitarian ware, although numerous distinct groups lived near both the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, preventing any single unified cultural revolution. As the Neolithic period drew to a close, larger stone cities emerged, and more animals were domesticated.
The largest of these ancient cities was Shimao. Established approximately 4,300 years ago, Shimao was inhabited for just 300 years. In the ruins of this ancient stone city, archaeologists unearthed a shocking discovery—over 80 human skulls with no accompanying bodies. All the skulls belonged to young women who had died around 4,000 years ago. Further analysis revealed signs of violent deaths, likely caused by blunt instruments and fire. Researchers speculate that these young women were probably from rival groups and were sacrificed as part of ceremonial rites marking the founding of the city.
9. Viking Slaves
To make matters even more barbaric, the Vikings also sacrificed slaves to be buried alongside their masters. An excavation in Flakstad, Norway, uncovered several graves containing 10 bodies, some of which had been decapitated. Upon further investigation, archaeologists discovered that these individuals had been slaves. The diets of the decapitated bodies were distinctly different from those of the complete bodies, leading researchers to believe that these victims were slaves, executed and beheaded as offerings for their deceased masters.
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8. Sudan's Earliest Known Human Sacrifice
The Neolithic period marked a significant shift in human development, and one of the key centers of this transformation was the Shendi region of Sudan. Situated on fertile lands along the Nile River, this era saw the domestication of a wide range of animals, primarily for their milk and wool rather than for meat. Many local communities developed shared customs for burying their dead, often including polished axes and stone rings as part of the grave offerings.
Though rare, human sacrifices did take place. El Kadada village, located in the Nile Valley, may represent the earliest known evidence of human sacrifice in Africa. Excavated by French researchers, the tomb contained the remains of two humans, two goats, and a dog. The bodies of the man and woman were buried facing each other. The site, dated between 3,700 and 3,400 BC, predates the next known site of human sacrifice by almost 2,000 years. That site, near Mirgissa, an ancient Egyptian city in modern Sudan, contained decapitated bodies from around 1,800 BC.
7. The Moche Temple in Peru
Before the rise of the Incas, Peru was home to a number of advanced civilizations, including the Moche, a sophisticated northern culture that flourished between 100 and 800 AD. The Moche society was highly hierarchical, with priests and warriors at the top, wielding great power over the lower classes. As a warrior society, the Moche saw a close connection between religion and warfare. Captives were brought to temples made of adobe and brick, where priests supervised their sacrificial deaths. This practice was common, and numerous murals depict scenes of bound, naked men being executed.
One of the most significant archaeological sites uncovered to date is Huacas de Moche, an expansive adobe-brick complex with multiple platforms and temples. The site continues to reveal the remains of sacrificed individuals, with around 70 victims discovered so far. Researchers believe these victims came from far-off regions, as evidenced by the disrespect shown to their bodies. Skulls were transformed into cups, and the corpses were displayed, with their blood offered to the gods. After the rituals, the remaining body parts were discarded into a ditch, where vultures completed the grim process.
6. Drugged Inca Children
The Incas left a lasting legacy, which also involved human sacrifice. In their vast empire, which stretched from central Chile to southern Colombia, children were the preferred sacrificial offerings. While the Incas had a shorter reign compared to their Moche predecessors, their cultural influence and folklore have endured through the ages.
So, why did the Incas believe that sacrificing children was necessary to appease the gods? The practice likely emerged from a combination of factors. Though their empire spanned a vast area with a diverse range of peoples, the Incas themselves were not numerous, with an estimated population of around 100,000 at any given time. Their homeland was harsh, with treacherous mountains, arid landscapes, and severe winters. Coupled with frequent natural disasters, the Incas believed that only grand ceremonies—known as capacocha—featuring ritual sacrifice could prevent their gods from destroying the entire civilization.
On Argentina's Volcán Llullaillaco, the mummified bodies of three Inca children were discovered, providing chilling evidence of a sacrificial ritual. The oldest of the three is believed to have been just 13 years old at the time of her death and is referred to as the Llullaillaco Maiden. Chosen for sacrifice, she spent her final year participating in ceremonies leading up to her death. During this time, she was given the type of food reserved for elite members of society, but she also consumed large quantities of coca and alcohol. Researchers believe the children were drugged to calm them—unlike other sacrificial rites, which often involved violence, the Maiden and her companions appear to have been sacrificed without physical harm.
5. Infant Jar Burials
Buried jars containing the remains of infants have been discovered across the globe, spanning various time periods. This burial custom has endured from the Neolithic era to certain regions of modern-day Africa. While not all of these burials were sacrifices, the practice itself has a rich and complex history. The jar is often seen as a metaphor for the womb, as shown both in modern ethnographic studies and the early shapes of pottery. However, in some Neolithic cultures, archaeologists suspect that these types of burials were indeed intended as sacrifices.
Strict guidelines governed the rituals of infant jar burials, and the high level of regulation surrounding these death rites suggests that the tradition likely evolved from sacrificial practices in prehistoric times. Iron Age burials, in particular, suggest that sacrifices were performed in an effort to ward off and control natural disasters, while African ethnographic studies reveal a deep-seated fear of drought. While not all jar burials were sacrificial, those involving infants who were intentionally killed were part of elaborate customs meant to influence the forces of nature.
4. The Minoans
The Minoans were a civilization that flourished on the island of Crete, located off the coast of Greece, during the Bronze Age, roughly between 3000 and 1100 BC. Widely regarded as one of Europe’s first advanced cultures, the Minoans developed a written language known as Linear A, which remains undeciphered by scholars to this day. Despite the culture’s eventual collapse following a devastating volcanic eruption that ravaged much of Crete, archaeologists believe the Minoans were a highly sophisticated society with advanced technologies and a notable degree of gender equality.
Even in the most peaceful of societies, brutal practices can exist. In the prominent Minoan settlement of Knossos, there is evidence of both child sacrifice and cannibalism. Religious artwork, which is crucial since their written language remains unread, depicts ceremonies in which human sacrifices were made to the gods on altars. Excavations of Minoan homes have uncovered mass sacrificial burials of children, their bodies stripped of flesh, possibly due to cannibalistic rituals. Other findings suggest the existence of crisis cults that emerged during the decline of the society. These cults might have escalated the frequency of human sacrifices as a response to mounting societal anxieties caused by disasters.
3. Uganda’s Modern Sacrifices
While human sacrifice may seem like a practice confined to the distant past, it unfortunately persists in certain parts of the world today. Between 2009 and 2010, reports surfaced from Uganda of ritual murders and child sacrifices. Witch-doctors were implicated in these horrific practices, which have been on the rise. The reasons behind the recent uptick in child sacrifice are complex, with some attributing it to Nigerian films that depict families becoming wealthy after performing such rituals. Another possible motivator is a sense of looming disaster, with famine being cited as a key factor in these desperate acts.
Many of the children who are victims of this barbaric practice are abducted, often having no connection to their killers. Survivors of these abductions are few, but one three-year-old named Mukisa managed to escape and identify the men who tried to kidnap him. During his escape, his genitalia were mutilated by the would-be abductors. Anti-sacrifice activists are fighting back, working to deter witch-doctors from participating in child sacrifice. Some have even taken to destroying sacrificial shrines as part of their efforts to bring about change in Uganda. A former witch-doctor, who once took part in many such rituals—including the sacrifice of at least 70 people, including his own 10-year-old son—has now turned against the practice and is campaigning for its end.
2. Pyramids
Ancient Egypt is widely recognized for its iconic mummified remains, grand pyramid tombs, and the legendary Great Sphinx of Giza. However, what might surprise many is that human sacrifice was practiced in Egypt, particularly the ritual of retainer sacrifice. This practice involved the ritual killing of individuals following the death of a ruler, ensuring that others could accompany the deceased to the afterlife. The earliest known evidence of this tradition in Egypt dates back to around 3500 to 3200 BC.
One of the most intriguing theories about retainer sacrifices versus ritual sacrifices revolves around the idea of whether retainer sacrifices were considered equivalent to grave goods—the items placed intentionally with the deceased. It's possible that the two types of sacrifice were deeply connected.
In Egypt, the practice of sacrifice fluctuated, but during the First Dynasty, it was particularly widespread. Many of the sacrificed remains show no signs of external trauma, likely to avoid blood loss, which was seen as mutilation and not fitting for individuals of high status. It's unclear whether these victims were forced into sacrifice, willing participants, or a combination of both. Prisoners of war also appear to have been sacrificed. The tomb of King Aha, who reigned during the First Dynasty, contained 36 additional burials. These individuals were all young men (the oldest in his early 20s), and all of them perished at the same time, most likely due to strangulation.
1. British Sacrifice
The Celts, a group of diverse and fragmented peoples, arrived in Britain around 700 BC with some fascinating religious beliefs. It’s essential to clarify that the British Celts were not a unified culture. The term “Celts” was actually coined in the 18th century to categorize a broad spectrum of peoples who shared some common traits in culture, language, and religion. Despite their differences, these early Britons generally practiced human sacrifice. The Romans, known for their toughness, were reportedly horrified by these ritual killings.
Numerous bodies preserved in European bogs have been identified as murder victims (Mytour has previously covered some grim bog body discoveries). One of the most renowned of these is a man called Fissured Fred. Discovered in 1981, Fred was found with tools and weapons beside him. He had received a severe blow to the back of his head from a sword around 2,500 years ago. Though the strike cracked his skull, it would not have been lethal on its own. What happened to him afterward is unclear, as much of his body remains missing. However, considering the context of his burial and the items found with him, it is likely that he was subjected to a brutal sacrificial ritual.
