Archaeologists uncover body of girl stabbed in neck as part of human sacrifice

[Judi Lynn]

The injury to her neck has been described as a ‘smoking gun’ in the evidence of ritual killings in the UK

Ben Mitchell
2 days ago

The remains of a young woman have been discovered in the UK, with evidence suggesting she was murdered as part of a human sacrifice during the Iron Age.

The 2,000-year-old find was made by archaeologists in Dorset. The team have been examining the remains of the woman in her 20s, who was killed by a stab wound to the neck as well as damage to a rib.

The injury has been described as a ‘smoking gun’ in the evidence of ritual killings in the UK.

The remains were found during excavations of a pre-historic settlement dating back 2,000 years at Winterborne Kingston in central Dorset.

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/archaeologists-winterborne-human-sacrifice-dorset-b2548119.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. BU archaeologists uncover Iron Age victim of human sacrifice

Mark Milligan
Date:

May 23, 2024
Anthropology

Archaeologists from Bournemouth University have uncovered an Iron Age victim of human sacrifice in Dorset, England.

The sacrificial victim was found lying at the bottom of a pit and placed on carefully arranged animal bones. A study of the skeletal remains indicate that she died during her late twenties from a stab wound to her neck.

Dr Martin Smith, Associate Professor in Forensic and Biological Anthropology at Bournemouth University, said: “The young woman was found lying face down on top of a strange, deliberately constructed crescent shaped arrangement of animal bones at the bottom of a pit, so it looks like she was killed as part of an offering,”

Examples of Iron Age sacrifice in Britain are very rare, with most accounts coming from later Roman and Greek sources. According to the researchers, this is physical evidence that human sacrifice took place in Iron Age Britain.

By examining the bones, archaeologists have uncovered new details about the victim’s life, helping to piece together parts of her story.

More:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/05/bu-archaeologists-uncover-iron-age-victim-of-human-sacrifice/152047

[sybylla]

2. Murdered, yes. Ritualistic burial, yes. Not seeing the part where they prove it was ritual killing.

I want to take archaeologists seriously, but I get tired of watching them go out on a limb and then have science media report it as if it's absolutely true rather than "suspected."

[barbaraann]

3. Sometimes there are pictures.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice

Pretty disturbing.

[sybylla]

4. Ritualized killing or human sacrifice is pretty hard to PROVE.

I get that there are thing that add up to it being a possibility. Proving it without actual societal admissions (see Mayans) is impossible.

Tell me the difference between human sacrifice and capital punishment? Burying face down or in a ritualistic manner or tossed into a bog all add up to the same list of possibilities. Zero proof.

Edited to add that photos of what is uncovered are just that. Photos. Ascribing a meaning or purpose to the actions without proof is conjecture. Which is about the best archaeologists are able to do, unless, as I said, the society admits to more (see Mayans).

[barbaraann]

5. Good points and food for thought.

We do have the writings of Bernal Diaz (a soldier with Cortez) about the Aztec rituals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernal_D%C3%ADaz_del_Castillo

Fall of Civilizations on Youtube also has an unbelievably fascinating episode about the Aztecs. Don't eat the tortillas!