A pregnant woman whose remains were discovered in coastal Ecuador may have been the victim of ritual sacrifice or punishment over a thousand years ago, according to a study published by Cambridge University Press in January.
Experts from the Society for American Archaeology analyzed the woman’s remains, which were excavated in 2022, and determined that this woman, dubbed Burial 10, died somewhere between 771 and 953 CE.
It was also determined that she was approximately 17 to 20 years old at the time of her death, and her hands and left leg were removed at her death or near it, researchers said.
According to CBS, what made this woman’s burial so significant to researchers was the fact that she was pregnant when buried. Additionally, her remains showed a cranial fracture and cut marks on her hand bones, leading to the theory that she may have been sacrificed.
"Perimortem trauma, including a cranial fracture and cutmarks on hand bones, perimortem removal of the hands and left leg, and other body manipulation suggest she was sacrificed, a rare event for coastal Ecuadorian peoples," researchers wrote.
The study described the woman as having eyes covered with two ark clam shells, with several ceramic fragments on her forehead, and spondylus pendants and beads, known as chaquira, from various cultural traditions and periods..
A large green clay stone and mollusk shells were found near the body as well.
It is unclear which tribe Burial 10 belonged to
The researchers wrote that while Burial 10 is believed to be a member of the Manteño people – who lived along the Ecuadorian coast – the eye coverings were not consistent with what is known about typical Manteño burials.
Additionally, the green stone and mollusk shells were more in line with Vadivian burials, which predated the Manteño by nearly 2,000 years, according to CBS.
"To accumulate so many artifacts required purposeful collection and curation before inclusion in this burial," the study said. "Interpretation of this burial must ultimately consider these repeated emphases and ties to the past to understand the reasons for this enigmatic burial."
Due to the fact that the burial also included a burnt offering in the chest cavity – which wasn’t common practice in the region until 991-1025 CE, researchers hypothesized Burial 10’s grave may have been revisited and even used for later rituals.