A recent genetic analysis of a 1,500-year-old Peruvian tomb has revealed chilling details of human sacrifices, including the discovery of a father and his strangled son buried side-by-side. The tomb, located in the northern coastal region of Peru, contained the remains of six individuals, including a high-status woman, three men, and two adolescents. The genetic analysis, conducted by a team of international researchers, confirmed that the two adolescents were closely related, likely father and son. The son's remains showed evidence of strangulation, suggesting that he was killed as part of a ritual sacrifice.

The father's remains, while not showing signs of violence, were found near his son, indicating that they were buried together intentionally. This discovery has shed new light on the practice of human sacrifice among the ancient Moche civilization, which flourished in Peru from approximately AD 100 to AD 800. While previous research has documented instances of human sacrifice among the Moche, this is the first time that genetic evidence has confirmed the sacrifice of close relatives.

Some researchers believe that the Moche may have believed that human sacrifice was necessary to appease the gods or to ensure the well-being of the deceased in the afterlife. Others suggest that sacrifices may have been used to solidify social hierarchies or to assert power. The study also found that two teenagers, strangled 1,500 years ago as part of an ancient Andean funeral ritual, were related to the adults buried with them. Surprisingly, the boy appears to have been sacrificed when his father died, and the girl when her aunt died, a ritual previously unknown to archaeologists.

The findings also raise questions about the motivations behind these sacrifices. The sacrificial victims were buried beneath Huaca Cao Viejo, a pyramid-like painted structure found in Peru in 2005. This tomb contained six individuals, including Señora de Cao, a high-status woman with well-preserved remains. Three men and two strangled adolescents, killed with plant fiber ropes, were also interred within.