Sacrifice humain sur le site de Yinxu : éléments d’identification des individus sacrifiés en contexte funéraire

A groundbreaking analysis of human remains from the UNESCO World Heritage Site Yinxu reveals new insights into ancient sacrificial practices during the Shang Dynasty. The study, published in Bulletins et Mémoires de La Société d’Anthropologie de Paris, identifies key skeletal markers that distinguish sacrificed individuals from other funerary contexts, shedding light on ritualistic behaviors and social hierarchies of the time. Researchers employed advanced osteological techniques to examine bone morphology, trauma patterns, and isotopic signatures, providing a rigorous framework for interpreting sacrificial victims' identities and roles within ceremonial rites. This work challenges conventional assumptions about Shang-era burial practices and offers a more nuanced understanding of human sacrifice in East Asian archaeology.

Bontemps, A. (2024). Sacrifice humain sur le site de Yinxu : éléments d’identification des individus sacrifiés en contexte funéraire. Bulletins et Mémoires de La Société d’Anthropologie de Paris, 36((s)). https://doi.org/10.4000/bmsap.12478