Emily Chan
Sedig and colleagues analyzed the child’s DNA and determined that the child’s parents were closely related. The exact relationship of the parents was unclear, but they were more closely related than first cousins.
“They shared about 25 to 50 percent of genetic material. We could not determine the exact relationship of the child’s parents, but they would have been half-siblings, aunt/uncle-niece/nephew, grandparent-grandchild, or some other similarly closely related pair,” Sedig said.
Relationships between close family members are considered taboo in most societies, but in some ancient cultures, the elite may have participated in such practices to maintain the purity of their bloodline.
Because the child was a product of a close familial relationship within an elite lineage, their sacrifice may have served as some sort of a significant symbol.
The researchers will continue studying the site to better understand the genetic structure of the ancient inhabitants of the region.
The study was published in the journal Antiquity.
