[Aztlan] Sacrificial Evidence on Bones

[kim Goldsmith]

Hi All!

As someone already stated, human sacrifice has been
covered more than once on Aztlan.  However, since
someone is asking, it is worth taking a peek at it for
the benefit of folks who have questions.  Justin's
note is a great source for this.

I also saw someone on here mention that
anthropologists can tell from the bones whether or not
a person had been sacrificed.  I would just like to
say for the sake of accuracy that it is not always
that simple, especially in the case of heart
sacrifice.

We know through several sources that often a victim
will be pulled over a short (usually stone) object
like the one we see on the Huitzil. side of the 2nd
construction of the Templo Mayor in Mexico City.  The
victim is stretched out in a sort of "back bend"
position, thus separating the bottom left rib from the
pelvic area, giving good access directly into the
fleshy part of the abdomen.

Keeping in mind that the people responsible for
carrying out heart sacrifice are skilled
practitioners, the nicking of the rib bone is probably
the exception, not the norm in most cases (a victim
wriggling around could certainly make the task of a
clean incision more difficult though).

At any rate, my point is that the absence of marks on
the rib bones does not necessarily mean that heart
sacrifice did not take place.

Hope that helps!

KIM 


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