New twist in final moments of 118 human sacrifice victims found in Belize ‘Midnight Terror Cave’

Scientists investigating the gruesome discovery of 118 skeletal remains have made a startling revelation about the final moments of the “human sacrifices”.

Scientists have found 118 skeletal remains in a cave in Belize.

Scientists exploring a notorious Central American cave have revealed a new horror detail about the final moments of the 118 human sacrifices found inside.

The “Midnight Terror Cave” in Belize was discovered in 2006 – and 16 years later it is still offering up new information.

Believed to have played host to bloody rituals by the ancient Mayans, scientists now claim they have identified evidence of torture of the 118 victims, The Sun reports.

Researchers from California State University, Los Angeles, say strange blue fibres found on the teeth of some victims may suggest many were gagged.

They found what they believed to be a string in the calcified plaque from two specimens’ teeth, known as dental calculus.

They also noted that residue on six of the teeth contained cotton fibres, adding several were dyed bright blue.

Archaeologists found 9000 human bones belonging to at least 118 bodies in the cave.

“After finding minimal instances of dental pathology, I became interested in determining what foodstuffs the victims were consuming,” study lead author Amy Chan told Live Science.

“The discovery of blue cotton fibres in both samples was a surprise because blue is important in Maya ritual.”

The Mayan civilisation dominated much of Mexico and Central America from around 250-925AD.

The blue shade has been found at other sites – where it was often used in other ceremonies.

According to Heritage Daily, some researchers suggest that the fibres were coloured by an alcoholic drink that was commonly consumed by sacrificial victims to ease their suffering.

But others argue the fibres were present because of gags, as the victims were paraded from town to town over a period of time.

As they were in custody for a long period before execution, the fibres may have become incorporated in the tooth plaque.

“Many researchers think that calculus only reflects diet, but this study is a great example of how much more information can be learned,” Ms Chan said.

Blue fibres found on the teeth of some victims may suggest many were gagged before they were killed, researchers say.

The latest research comes after skeletal remains determined that sacrificial victims were even used as gruesome incense holders.

Experts believe it is likely victims were sacrificed to the gods before tribesmen cut of their heads and used them to burn sweet-smelling chemicals.

Researchers made the disturbing discovery after finding a skull in mysterious underwater caves near the massive Mayan city of Chichen Itza in 2019.

They have hypothesised that the person was sacrificed deep within the caverns as they were believed to be the opening to the sacred world.

Map shows where the cave was found.

The Mayans were an advanced civilisation who built great pyramids and stone cities but mysteriously abandoned them by the 10th century.

Scholars have debated what might have caused such a dramatic collapse of the empire. Most descendants of the ancient civilisation were living in agricultural villages by the time Spanish invaders arrived in the 16th century, and there are few written records.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission