Archaeologists have uncovered human remains dating back to around 850 BC in El Salvador on Tuesday (Jul 21), the country’s Ministry of Culture said. The remains, which are believed to be nearly 3,000 years old, were found beneath the layers of volcanic ash at a burial site in Antiguo Cuscatlan, a suburb of San Salvador.Researchers found the remains alongside a small Usulutan-style ceramic vessel shaped like a sea turtle – an artefact that offers a rare connection to the beliefs and traditions of people who lived in the region thousands of years ago.The excavation also revealed traces of cassava branches preserved beneath layers of volcanic ash deposited over different periods. The natural covering helped protect fragments of the ancient burial site for centuries.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-earthquake-did-delayed-military-orders-confusion-slow-rescue-operations-1784444944175">Venezuela earthquake: Did delayed military orders, confusion slow rescue operations?</a>The remains were found lying face down, a detail that has caught the attention of archaeologists. They will now undergo radiocarbon testing to confirm their age, while DNA analysis will help determine the person’s sex.The find has revived interest in El Salvador’s ancient burial practices, with experts drawing comparisons to the Chalchuapa archaeological site in western El Salvador.At Chalchuapa, excavated in the 1970s, archaeologists discovered the remains of 33 people, including complete and partial skeletons as well as isolated skulls. Some of the remains showed signs of violence, including bound limbs, mutilation and decapitation, leading researchers to identify the site as one of the earliest known examples of possible human sacrifice in Mesoamerica.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/cannon-event-16th-century-artefact-weighing-3-000-tonnes-stolen-from-mp-s-narwar-fort-1784370844593">Cannon event! 16th century artefact weighing 3.5 tonnes stolen from MP’s Narwar Fort</a> The Antiguo Cuscatlan discovery is now being studied to determine whether it carries similar evidence of ritual practices or reveals a different chapter of the region’s ancient history. For archaeologists, the grave is more than a collection of bones and artefacts – it is a rare record of a civilisation that existed long before modern borders shaped the land.

Archaeologists in El Salvador unearthed 3,000-year-old human remains at an ancient burial site, alongside a turtle-shaped ceramic vessel, offering clues into early Mesoamerican rituals and traditions.

Archaeologists have uncovered human remains dating back to around 850 BC in El Salvador on Tuesday (Jul 21), the country’s Ministry of Culture said. The remains, which are believed to be nearly 3,000 years old, were found beneath the layers of volcanic ash at a burial site in Antiguo Cuscatlan, a suburb of San Salvador. Researchers found the remains alongside a small Usulutan-style ceramic vessel shaped like a sea turtle – an artefact that offers a rare connection to the beliefs and traditions of people who lived in the region thousands of years ago. The excavation also revealed traces of cassava branches preserved beneath layers of volcanic ash deposited over different periods. The natural covering helped protect fragments of the ancient burial site for centuries. Also read | Venezuela earthquake: Did delayed military orders, confusion slow rescue operations? The remains were found lying face down, a detail that has caught the attention of archaeologists. They will now undergo radiocarbon testing to confirm their age, while DNA analysis will help determine the person’s sex. The find has revived interest in El Salvador’s ancient burial practices, with experts drawing comparisons to the Chalchuapa archaeological site in western El Salvador. At Chalchuapa, excavated in the 1970s, archaeologists discovered the remains of 33 people, including complete and partial skeletons as well as isolated skulls. Some of the remains showed signs of violence, including bound limbs, mutilation and decapitation, leading researchers to identify the site as one of the earliest known examples of possible human sacrifice in Mesoamerica. Also read | Cannon event! 16th century artefact weighing 3.5 tonnes stolen from MP’s Narwar Fort The Antiguo Cuscatlan discovery is now being studied to determine whether it carries similar evidence of ritual practices or reveals a different chapter of the region’s ancient history. For archaeologists, the grave is more than a collection of bones and artefacts – it is a rare record of a civilisation that existed long before modern borders shaped the land.

Archaeologists in El Salvador unearthed 3,000-year-old human remains at an ancient burial site, alongside a turtle-shaped ceramic vessel, offering clues into early Mesoamerican rituals and traditions.

Mystery of ancient burial: Archaeologists uncover 3,000-year-old skeleton in El Salvador

Each civilisation paired technical knowledge with social and administrative structures that allowed large projects and dense populations to flourish.

Each civilisation paired technical knowledge with social and administrative structures that allowed large projects and dense populations to flourish.

6 ancient civilisations that were far more advanced than we think

In Pics | Top historical places in the world

At a site in the Lambayeque region of northwestern Peru, archaeologists have unearthed 29 human bodies entombed around 1,000 years ago. The site is at Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucalá. &nbsp;

Four skeletons, which are of two children, a teenager and one adult, date back to the Wari civilisation. &nbsp;

Edgar Bracamonte Lévano, excavation's director and research archaeologist, Royal Tombs of Sipán museum, told Live Science through email, “These skeletons represent the region's first known examples of human offerings from the Wari civilisation.” &nbsp;

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The excavation also unearthed skeletons of eight guinea pigs and several alpacas and llamas, all of which seem to be sacrificed. &nbsp;

Bottles, pots and a knife with a half moon-shaped blade were also found at the site. &nbsp;

The tombs were recognised as Wari by the researchers as they were surrounded by three distinctive, D-shaped enclosures typical of the culture's religious spaces. &nbsp;

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The human offerings may have been "part of a possible ritual carried out at the time of starting the construction of these Wari-style religious spaces," Lévano said. &nbsp;

In addition to four human offerings, the archaeological team also found a fifth individual, who had undergone secondary burial. "That is to say, he was buried elsewhere and [then] reburied inside the D-shaped enclosure," Lévano added. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

At a site in the Lambayeque region of northwestern Peru, archaeologists have unearthed 29 human bodies entombed around 1,000 years ago. The site is at Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucalá.

At a site in the Lambayeque region of northwestern Peru, archaeologists have unearthed 29 human bodies entombed around 1,000 years ago. The site is at Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucalá. Four skeletons, which are of two children, a teenager and one adult, date back to the Wari civilisation. Edgar Bracamonte Lévano, excavation's director and research archaeologist, Royal Tombs of Sipán museum, told Live Science through email, “These skeletons represent the region's first known examples of human offerings from the Wari civilisation.” Also Read: During Halloween weekend, solar flare helps northern lights become visible to US The excavation also unearthed skeletons of eight guinea pigs and several alpacas and llamas, all of which seem to be sacrificed. Bottles, pots and a knife with a half moon-shaped blade were also found at the site. The tombs were recognised as Wari by the researchers as they were surrounded by three distinctive, D-shaped enclosures typical of the culture's religious spaces. Also Read: Humans may get to talk to whales, courtesy artificial intelligence The human offerings may have been "part of a possible ritual carried out at the time of starting the construction of these Wari-style religious spaces," Lévano said. In addition to four human offerings, the archaeological team also found a fifth individual, who had undergone secondary burial. "That is to say, he was buried elsewhere and [then] reburied inside the D-shaped enclosure," Lévano added. (With inputs from agencies)

In Andes, archaeologists unearth new secrets of ancient civilisations in Peru

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