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When they found a mysterious pyramid structure in Peru recently, archaeologists knew they had located something of incredible significance, but upon closer inspection, they came to realize that their discovery holds a dark secret that appears to point to the ancient practice of human sacrifice which was once carried out across most of South America.

According to Ancient Origins:

“The amazing discovery was made at the Sechin Archaeological Project, in the northern province of Casma in the Ancash region. This historic site dates back over 5000 years and it is believed to have been the center of an enigmatic prehistoric society known as the Sechin culture.

“Little is known about this culture, but it constructed some of the first monumental buildings in the Americas. Many experts believe that it even may be the first known civilization in the Andes.”

Evidence of human sacrifices?

Once excavation of the site began, Sechin Archaeological Project researchers began noting that they had to dig some 18 feet to find the pyramid structure, and had a very unique design:

“This structure consists of a series of steps that are made out of slabs and stones and are similar to a step-pyramid. It is an estimated 10 feet (3.05 meters) high and 15 feet (4.57 meters) wide.”

After speculating that the massive pyramid was likely the seat of government in the Sechin culture, researchers then came to the darker use of the structure:

“Archaeologist Monica Suarez, the coordinator at the Archaeological Project, stated, ‘It served a ceremonial purpose, but we need to make further analysis.’ Many cultures in the ancient Andes used similar buildings for rites and sacrifices. Living and Traveling in Peru reports that stepped pyramids were ‘aimed at attaining higher or elevated levels of spirituality.’”

See the finds from Ancient Architects

Grisly discoveries

Near the pyramid, members of the archaeological team began finding clues that certainly seem to point toward a bloody past, including two skulls, one of which belonged to an adult and the other to a young child.

But that was just one of the horrific things the researchers found:

“At the side of the structure they found a skeleton that appears to have been dismembered. This is evidence that a person may have had his or her limbs cut off while still alive or post-mortem.”

Finding the skulls and dismembered skeleton adds credence to the theories of human sacrifice, according to Andina. The possibility also exists that the sacrifices took place on the stepped structure, and it has long been known that human sacrifice was a common occurrence in the Andes before the Spanish arrived.

But there are alternate theories, too, and those point to a more practical purpose for the structure:

“Researchers at the archaeological park believe that it is also possible ‘that the stepped, pyramid-shaped structure served as a ladder to get to a higher level.’ The nature of the stepped structure and its location may mean that it was used to access the center of the ancient site. It may have allowed the inhabitants of the massive complex to approach the central building.”

Mysteries of the Sechin

Along with the possibility of human sacrifice are hints that the people who constructed the pyramid were proud of their work, even leaving a sort of signature that can be seen by us thousands of years later:

“It appears that when the mud-bricks were still wet the workers deliberately left impressions with their fingers. These fingerprints can be viewed as workers signing their work.”

Research continues on the Peruvian pyramid structure, and all of the human remains are undergoing extensive testing. Hopefully, that will give us a greater insight into mysterious Sechin people who populated the region thousands of years ago.

This video has more on the Sechin people and their culture:

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8M4xrmPzU8&feature=emb_logo

Featured Image: Screenshots via YouTube

A huge Stone Age monument has been discovered in Poland, and researchers report the site is 360 feet in diameter, making it three times larger than Stonehenge. It is believed the site was used by Neolithic people for at least 250 years, with new features added to it along the way.

Ancient Origins notes:

“The site was first spotted by a paraglider, in 2015, at Nowe Objezierze near Cedynia, which is in northwest Poland, not far from the German border. In 2016 the archaeologist Marcin Dziewanowski, while investigating satellite images on Google Maps, confirmed that there was an ancient enclosure at the location. According to The First News website, ‘the contours of the enclosure were so clear that they looked like the crop circles made by aliens in science fiction movies.’”

Now, almost three years since the site was first located, experts from the Universities of Gdańsk, Szczecin, Warsaw, and Poznań are gaining new insights into the deeper meaning of the structure by using non-invasive techniques and excavating small areas around the south and west of the site.

A ‘Roundel’

Due to its circular shape, the site has been dubbed a “roundel.” At least 130 roundels have been discovered in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. The purpose of roundels is believed to have been ritualistic and may also have served as some sort of astronomical calendar.

The Polish roundel is one of the most impressive ever found anywhere in the world, Newsweek notes:

“It consists of a central area surrounded by three gates that lead to the interior. It then has four ditches circling it. Each ditch is larger and deeper than the last, and it appears they were dug at relatively regular intervals.”

Related: 5,000-year-old megaliths reminiscent of Stonehenge found after waters recede in Spain

‘Quite sensational’

Project leader Lech Czerniak, from the University of Gdańsk, said discovering the roundel in Poland is significant from a historical and archaeological perspective:

“This is quite sensational, given the fact that it coincides with the dating of structures located on the Danube, considered the oldest. It seems equally important that the four ditches surrounding the central area of the structure probably did not function simultaneously, but every few dozen years, a new ditch with an ever larger diameter was dug.”

And the project itself is meant to help researchers better understand roundels, Czerniak added:

“The primary focus of the project are questions about the social aspects of the functioning operation of roundels, including what prompted the inhabitants of a given region to make a huge effort in building and maintaining the roundel, where the idea and knowledge necessary to build this object came from, and how often and for how long the object was used.”

Deeper insights

More research into the Polish roundel is needed, according to experts:

“In particular, the researchers want to understand what were the beliefs that motivated prehistoric people to build such a massive structure and what was its role was in their society. Paleoenvironmental research will also be a focus of the archaeologists, as it will allow them to understand the communities’ impact on the local environment which in turn can provide a window into the Neolithic past.”

For some spectacular aerial views of the roundel in Poland, watch this video:

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4yOVQ9S6fQ&feature=emb_logo

Featured Image via YouTube