- New analysis of skeletons unearthed in Korea reveals entire families were sacrificed about 1,500 years ago in rituals honouring royalty.
- The findings, based on genetic data from 78 human remains in Gyeongsan, provide the first large-scale scientific evidence of social structure during the Silla Kingdom.
- Researchers found evidence of 'sunjang', a practice where individuals were sacrificed and buried alongside the dead, with some tombs containing closely related family members, including parent-child pairs.
- The study suggests the existence of a 'sacrificial caste' whose roles were inherited, implying that certain families were designated for these rituals across generations.
- The analysis also indicates that close-kin marriages were common among both the Silla royal elites and those chosen for sacrifice, offering new insights into ancient Korean kinship structures.
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