The Dark Story Of Ancient Carthage's Child Sacrifices | Blood On The Altar | Timeline
Timeline - World History Documentaries・2 minutes read
Phoenicians were an advanced civilization known for maritime trade and possibly practicing child sacrifice, with recent archaeological finds supporting this theory through forensic DNA analysis. Scholars debate the existence of ritual sacrifice, with ongoing research aiming to determine the health, age, and sex of the sacrificed children through teeth analysis and DNA testing.
Insights
- Scholars debate the existence of child sacrifice among the Phoenicians, with some dismissing it as a smear campaign, while recent archaeological discoveries, such as the 6,000 funeral urns with charred remains of children, prompt forensic analysis and DNA testing to potentially confirm this practice.
- Dr. Charlotte Roberts, a biological anthropologist, aims to determine if the children's remains found in the urns indicate natural deaths or sacrificial rites, with analysis of teeth revealing the children were healthy at the time of death, supporting the theory of ritual child sacrifice in Machia.
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Recent questions
Were Phoenicians advanced compared to other civilizations?
Yes
Did Phoenicians engage in child sacrifice?
Debate
What was the significance of Carthage in Phoenician history?
Commercial hub
Who was Hannibal in relation to the Phoenicians?
Notable leader
What was Machia in Phoenician times?
Abandoned city
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Summary
00:00
Phoenicians: Ancient Civilization of Maritime Prowess
- Phoenicians, an ancient civilization in Lebanon, were sophisticated and rivaled great civilizations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
- Archaeologists and historians suggest Phoenicians may have practiced child sacrifice in religious rituals involving throat-cutting and bloodletting.
- Scholars debate the existence of child sacrifice, with some dismissing it as a smear campaign against Phoenicians.
- Scientists recently discovered 6,000 funeral urns with charred remains of Phoenician children on a small island off Sicily, prompting forensic analysis and DNA testing.
- Phoenicians, also known as Canaanites in the Bible, established a vast maritime empire trading across the Mediterranean.
- Carthage in Tunisia was the pinnacle of Phoenician commercial empire, boasting vast libraries, temples, and law courts.
- Carthaginians lived in massive six-story apartment complexes with advanced water systems serving up to 60 people in each block.
- Rome waged wars against Phoenicians in the Punic Wars, with Hannibal being a notable Phoenician leader who nearly defeated Rome.
- Romans destroyed Carthage, leading to the loss of Phoenician documents and the rise of the Roman Empire.
- Phoenicians were known for maritime prowess, using stars for navigation and circumnavigating Africa with pre-fabricated ships and the alphabet.
21:04
Machia: Uncovering Phoenician Child Sacrifice Theory
- Machia was a city in Phoenician times with over 15,000 people, destroyed in 397 BC after a siege, leaving buildings abandoned.
- The site of Machia is unique as it was never fully reoccupied, preserving complexes like the Tophet, similar to Carthage.
- Archaeologists found a walled precinct in Machia with 6,000 clay urns filled with charred bones, possibly from sacrificial rites.
- Dr. Charlotte Roberts, a biological anthropologist, aims to determine if the children's remains in the urns indicate natural deaths or sacrificial rites.
- The cremated remains found in the urns are fragmented, making analysis challenging, with animal bones mixed in with human remains.
- Debate surrounds whether the Phoenicians intentionally sacrificed animals and children together during cremation ceremonies.
- Teeth found in the urns are crucial for determining the children's general health and age at the time of death.
- Analysis of teeth from over 20 children in the Tophet reveals no signs of disease, suggesting they were healthy at the time of death.
- Further evidence from standing stones and defensive walls supports the theory of ritual child sacrifice in Machia.
- DNA analysis from the cremated bones in the urns could conclusively determine the sex of the sacrificed children, potentially proving the theory of ritual sacrifice.
40:45
"Extracting ancient DNA from bone fragments"
- In the laboratory, Alex begins the process of extracting ancient DNA from bone fragments by removing external DNA, adding a reacting solution, and using a water bath to draw out DNA.
- A parallel extraction without bone is crucial to identify DNA contamination, followed by a centrifuge to separate bone fragments from the solution.
- The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process is used to amplify ancient DNA for analysis, with the PCR machine cloning DNA strands for identification.
- Gel staining and UV irradiation reveal the sex of the ancient DNA, with Alex facing multiple unsuccessful attempts before finally succeeding in identifying a female infant.
