Ancient human remains found at burial site in El Salvador

Archaeologists in El Salvador have exhumed human remains that the Ministry of Culture said are believed to be nearly 3,000 years old.

The remains were first found on July 2 at a burial site in Antiguo Cuscatlan, a suburb of San Salvador. The ministry estimated that they may date to around 850 BC.

The burial pit also contained a small Usulutan-style ceramic vessel shaped like a sea turtle. Archaeologists also found remnants of cassava branches preserved beneath layers of volcanic ash deposited over different periods.

The remains were found face down. They will undergo radiocarbon dating to determine their age, and DNA analysis will be used to determine the person’s sex.

The ministry said the site may contain burials similar to those found at the Chalchuapa archaeological site in western El Salvador, where archaeologists uncovered the remains of 33 people in the 1970s. That earlier discovery included 26 complete skeletons, four partial skeletons and three isolated skulls. Many were found face down with their hands and feet bound, while others showed signs of mutilation or decapitation. The Chalchuapa discovery has been considered the earliest known evidence of human sacrifice in Mesoamerica.