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More than 600 skulls of people sacrificed near Aztec temple discovered in Mexico

Maria Tsikhotska

More than 600 skulls of people sacrificed near Aztec temple discovered in Mexico
The Aztecs often offered human sacrifices to the gods

The Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History reported that archaeologists have discovered 119 human skulls in the recently discovered remote northeastern part of the wall, which is located near the largest Aztec temple in the center of Mexico City.

This is reported by TSN.

This "wall of skulls" (zompantli) served the Aztecs for sacrifices to their god of war. Among the 119 skulls were both men and women, as well as at least three children.

Archaeologists first discovered the wall in 2015, estimating its length at about 34 meters, height at 45 centimeters, and depth at about 2 meters. Since then, 484 skulls have been found in it. The latest discovery brings the total number of skulls to 603.

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The researchers date this part of the wall to the period between 1486 and 1502 and suggest that it is located at a depth of 3.5 meters, and may have been the main "wall of skulls" in the former Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.

The history of sacrifices was common among many peoples of the region before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Warriors from neighboring villages were sacrificed to the gods, and their skulls were often put on display to deter potential attackers. This brutal rite of sacrifice was especially common among the Aztecs who lived in what is now Mexico.

As a reminder, archaeologists have unearthed a horse skeleton with a bronze rod in its jaw.

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