Science
China study suggests animal sacrifice may have been part of ancient Sanxingdui rituals
Key Points
Animal sacrifice has played a major role in human history, from mythological stories about Odysseus to modern rituals such as Nepal’s Gadhimai Festival. The tradition also dates back to ancient peoples we know little about. A research paper published in the Journal of Archaeological Science in late August suggests that the enigmatic Sanxingdui people likely practised animal sacrifice.
Animal sacrifice has played a major role in human history, from mythological stories about Odysseus to modern rituals such as Nepal’s Gadhimai Festival.
The tradition also dates back to ancient peoples we know little about. A research paper published in the Journal of Archaeological Science in late August suggests that the enigmatic Sanxingdui people likely practised animal sacrifice.
To reach this conclusion, researchers identified what appeared to be a sacrificial pit based on the spatial...