A team of archaeologists from the National University of San Marcos have unearthed over a dozen humans that were buried with their hands tied behind their backs in a bizarre finding.
The discovery was made in Peru and the humans are thought to date all the way back to 400 BCE.
The people were uncovered in the northern coastal region of Puémape and were found to have been buried face down with their hands tied behind their backs.
Now, researchers believe this could have been part of an ancient ritual sacrifice.
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Speaking to Live Science, Henry Tantaleán from the National University of San Marcos said: “The way in which they were placed in the tomb is strange.”
The people were all placed ‘with their faces to the ground, an unusual burial pattern throughout Andean prehistory’, continued Tantaleán, who also heads the Research Group in Archaeology of Andean Science and Technologies of San Marcos.
The bodies found did appear to show signs that violence had taken place, which included things like blows to body parts as well as fractures.
The expert added: “They would have been a sacrifice offered to this ancient place of worship.”
It is hoped that this recent excavation will shed new light on the secrets of ancient rituals once practiced in the area.
Peru is a hub for ancient discovery, with previous finds even leading experts to unearthing a long lost city dating back to 3,500 years ago.
The ancient city of Peñico was an early trading hub that once connected South America to the Andes regions.
However, the city was lost for thousands of years until it was discovered by a team of researchers who found a structure on a hill in the northern Barranca province of Peru.
From there, archaeologists found the remains of several mud and stone buildings which they estimate were built around 1,800 and 1,500 BCE.
It’s thought that the ancient residents of Peñico were part of the Caral civilization, which is one of the oldest known civilizations in the Americas.
According to a report by the Independent, archaeologist Ruth Shady, who led the excavation and is the director of the Caral Archaeological Zone, said: “This urban center was developed following the cultural tradition of Caral.”
She continued: “Peñico adds to the archaeological sites that can be visited under our management: the Sacred City of Caral, the fishing town of Áspero and the agricultural fishing city of Vichama. The public will also be able to get to know this city of integration.”