Researchers suggest that the bodies of two women buried over 5,500 years ago may have been victims of human sacrifice.

Discovered in 1985 in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, France, the remains, believed to be females, show signs of torture akin to a method known as “incaprettamento,” involving strangulation by binding ankles and throat.

The burial site, resembling a silo, led researchers to speculate about ritualistic killings possibly linked to solstice celebrations.

Lead author Éric Crubézy suggests that sacrificial rituals might have been performed to ensure successful harvests, a common belief during that era.

While it’s challenging to determine the exact circumstances of their deaths, the arrangement of the bodies suggests a deliberate and forceful placement, indicating that they may have died within the burial context.

The researchers hypothesize that one woman likely died from cardiac arrest while lying on her stomach, while the other may have perished due to asphyxiation under the weight of the other.

The cruelty of the act echoes similar instances across Europe during the Neolithic period, the New York Post has reported.

Archaeological evidence from various sites indicates at least 20 instances of homicidal strangulation, with several individuals found in silo-like pits.

Despite the difficulty in unraveling the exact events, these findings shed light on the brutal nature of ancient sacrificial practices.

Written by B.C. Begley