Discover 150 skulls deep in a cave in Mexico for more than 1,000 years

04/05/2022 06:35 GMT+7

When these skulls were first discovered in a cave in the state of Chiapas, Mexico in 2012, the police initially thought this was a murder because the scene occurred near the border of Guatemala, one of the known for violence and human trafficking.

Skull altar. Source: Reuters

Similar skull altar discovered in 2017.

The scene discovered 150 skulls with missing teeth in Mexico.

The Daily Star reported that the investigation team followed them as victims of gang murders and conducted a search for other body parts.

After 10 years of extensive searching, experts have now concluded that these victims were not murdered, but were sacrificed in the ritual worship of the Aztec gods that took place millennia ago (the period of time). between 900 and 1200 AD).

A spokesman for Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said: “After the excavation, the remains were taken out of the cave, to the state capital Tuxtla Gutiérrez to conduct research and investigate. Experts determined the victims had been decapitated, their skulls had been pierced through their temples, and were displayed on a wooden stand known as a “tzompantli” or “skull altar”.

After analysis, the team determined these human skulls were about 1,100 years old, mostly of adult women. A special feature here is that all the skulls have all their teeth extracted.

The process of examining and studying skulls.

It can be said that this is not the first time “skull altars” have been found in Mexico. In 2017, archaeologists discovered about 650 crucified skulls at the Temple of Mayor, the world-famous Aztec temple in Mexico City.

A few years later, Mexican archaeologists found the bodies of more than 100 men, women and children who were likely sacrifices to ancient gods.

Dang Van (Translation summary)