Michele Bleuze, assistant professor of anthropology at Cal State LA and director of the university’s Subterranean Maya Bioarchaeology Project, is garnering international media attention for her recent findings from the Cueva de Sangre site, also known as the “Blood Cave” of Dos Pilas, in Petén, Guatemala.
Bleuze’s investigation of a Classic Period (AD 250−900) ritual deposit at the cave revealed compelling bioarchaeological evidence of Maya sacrificial practices.
Her analysis identified perimortem trauma and postmortem anthropogenic modifications—such as cutmarks consistent with defleshing—on several skeletal elements.
The deposit was dominated by cranial remains, indicating cultural selection of a specific anatomical region of the body.
Using archaeological, ethnohistoric, and ethnographic frameworks, Bleuze’s study provides strong support for the sacrificial nature of the deposit and its role in ritual activity.
Bleuze presented her findings on April 24 at the 90th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Denver, Colorado.
Her work was recently featured in a Live Science article, which has since been cited and amplified by numerous major outlets, including:
This research not only deepens the understanding of ancient Maya ritual practices but also highlights Cal State LA’s leadership in cutting-edge bioarchaeological scholarship. The Subterranean Maya Bioarchaeology Project brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers dedicated to reconstructing the lives of individuals deposited in caves across Mesoamerica and exploring how they were integrated into ritual spaces.
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