Bloodstains Point to Gruesome Rituals
Researchers investigating a ceremonial tomb in Benin have discovered proteins thought to be from human blood, providing evidence for a long-held legend of human sacrifices.
According to oral tradition, human blood was used in the construction of a ceremonial tomb built within the royal palace complex in what is now Benin nearly 200 years ago. Now, analysis of proteins found in the tomb walls has revealed evidence that this tradition was indeed a reality.
Modern Benin is the center of the African Vodun religion, known for rituals involving animal sacrifices. A new study reveals that a tomb in Abomey, the former capital of the Dahomey kingdom in West Africa, contained proteins that could only have originated from human blood, confirming the area’s brutal history.
This discovery marks one of the first times that “paleoproteomics,†the study of trace proteins remaining in archaeological artifacts, has yielded such evidence.
“This discovery is very important because it provides concrete evidence of historical rituals and practices,†said Jean Armengaud, a biochemist specializing in ancient proteins at the French Atomic and Alternative Energies Commission, the lead author of the new study, published in the journal Proteomics. Armengaud and his colleagues analyzed samples taken from the tomb between 2018 and 2022, during excavations conducted at the site by archaeologists from France and Benin.
Local legend states that the tomb within the Abomey palace complexâ€"constructed in the 19th century by King Ghezo of Dahomey to honor his brother, King Adandozanâ€"used plaster containing the blood of 41 human sacrifices.
Ghezo, who ruled from 1818 to 1858, was known for leading several military expeditions against the powerful Yoruba state in the region, or the Oyo Empire, thereby ending the Dahomey kingdom’s annual tribute of slaves.
He was considered a powerful ruler. Historical records mention that the path to his hut was paved with the skulls and jaws of defeated enemies, and one of his thrones was placed upon the skulls of four enemy leaders.
Summary
The discovery of human blood proteins in a ceremonial tomb in Benin confirms a long-held legend of human sacrifices. This finding, uncovered through “paleoproteomics,†provides concrete evidence for historical rituals and practices. The tomb, built in the 19th century by King Ghezo of Dahomey, was believed to contain the blood of 41 human sacrifices. This discovery sheds light on the brutal history of the Dahomey kingdom and its powerful ruler, King Ghezo.