Human Sacrifice

Sites where some evidence of possible human sacrifce has been found (as opposed to mere rumour, conjecture, myth).

World Heritage Sites connected to 'Human Sacrifice':

  • Atapuerca Evidence of cannibalism; link
  • Chichen-Itza There are several locations which appear to be related to Human sacrifice - In particular the "Cenote Sagrado" - from which numerous skeltons have been retrieved. ; link
  • Chief Roi Mata’s Domain "The mass sacrificial burial on Artok Island, in which Roi Mata was accompanied in death by more that 50 voluntarily sacrificed individuals" (Nomination Dossier)
  • Mexico City Templo Mayor: Ten Spanish captives were sacrificed at the Temple and their severed heads were thrown back to the Spaniards. (Wiki) Objects associated with human sacrifice are the “face blades” or knives decorated with eyes and teeth, as well as skull masks.
  • Royal Palaces of Abomey Described in 1864 first-hand by Richard Burton in "A mission to Gelele King of Dahome with notices of the so called "Amazons", the grand customs, the yearly customs, the human sacrifices, the present state of the slave trade and the negro's place in nature.; link
  • Site of Carthage The "Tophet" Cemetery - The remains of many children have been found which might indicate (as the Romans claimed) evidence of the Phoenician practice of child sacrifice or, alternatively, just a child cemetery.; link
  • Teotihuacan Bodies of what appear to be sacrificial victims have been found within the Temple of the Moon.; link
  • Yin Xu "Five of the pits contained the remains of a human sacrifice (four adult males and one child)."; link