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Study Reveals Maya Sacrificed 64 Boys Over 500 Years at Chichén Itzá

Jun 12, 2024, 03:47 PM

A recent study published in Nature has revealed new insights into the ritual sacrifices performed by the ancient Maya civilization at Chichén Itzá in modern Mexico. Analysis of ancient DNA from the remains of 64 individuals, primarily boys, uncovered that many of these sacrifices involved closely related individuals, including identical twins. These rituals, which spanned over a period of 500 years, were likely conducted to appease the gods of the underworld and were believed to be linked to agricultural outcomes such as crop yields and rainfall. The remains were recovered from an underground chamber.