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Archaeologists have unearthed an eerie old tomb where humans were sacrificed for a chilling reason.
Located in the area of El Caño in the Coclé Province of Panama is the El Caño Archaeological Park.
The archaeological site is an important area, which was first discovered by American explorer Hyatt Verrill in 1925.
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Verrill uncovered three burial sites dating back from AD 700 to AD 1000.
It took until 1970 for the park's first formal investigation, which found that the site was filled with the bodies of the elite, who wore golden chest plates, along with other gold plated objects when they were buried.
Now, at the start of the month (1 March) the Ministry of Culture of Panama announced it had found a tomb which contains the remains of a Coclé lord, along with a number of priceless artefacts.
What archaeologists have found so far:
- Five pectorals golden plates
- Two belts of spherical beads made from gold
- Four bracelets
- Two earrings in the shape of human figures
- An earring in the shape of a double crocodile
- One necklace of small circular beads
- Five earrings made from the teeth of a sperm whale
- A set of gold plates
- Two bells
- Bone flutes
- Hundreds of ceramic objects
What do the experts say?
Dr Julia Mayo, director of the El Caño Foundation, told HeritageDaily: “The tomb was built around the year AD 750 and contains the remains of a Coclé lord, but also has other burials who died to accompany him to the afterlife.”
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It is estimated that between eight and 32 people 'were buried along with others previously sacrificed to serve as companions', said the specialist.
Dr Mayo believes that this collection may have belonged to a high-status adult male of the headquarters of Rio Grande.
Who were the Coclé?
Coclé culture existed in Panama between 200 BCE and 1550 CE, and consisted of elite individuals who did not want to be buried alone.
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In this specific tomb, the elite's body was buried in a face-down position atop the remains of a woman.
This was believed to have been a common tradition in Coclé culture.
Dr Mayo noted the excavation of the burial has not finished.
"Therefore, it cannot be specified at the moment how many people were buried with him, but what is known is that he was buried upside down, a common burial way in this society, on the body of a woman," the Ministry of Culture of Panama said.
Featured Image Credit: Ministry of Culture of PanamaTopics: History, News, World News