Genetic study uncovers family sacrifices in ancient Moche tomb in Peru

A genetic study of a 1,500-year-old Moche tomb in Peru has uncovered evidence of family sacrifices. Two teenagers, a boy and a girl, were found buried with high-status individuals, challenging previous beliefs about Moche sacrificial practices. The analysis confirmed that the teenagers were related to the adults they were buried with, including a prominent woman known as Señora de Cao. This marks the first documented instance of familial sacrifices in Moche funerary rites. Previously, Moche sacrifices were thought to be public and gruesome. This new finding suggests that some sacrifices were more private, possibly reserved for significant individuals in Moche society.