Archaeologists from the National Insтιтute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have uncovered significant evidence of ritual beheadings and skull deformation during excavations at the Maya site of Moral-Reforma.

Moral-Reforma: main pyramid. Credit: AlfonsoboucH๏τ/ Wikimedia Commons

Moral-Reforma is an ancient Maya city from the Classic period, located in the municipality of Balancán in the Mexican state of Tabasco. The site dates back to around CE 300 and became an important trading center along the San Pedro Mártir River. It flourished between CE 622 and 756, featuring palaces, plazas, and several pyramid complexes.

In April 2023, INAH archaeologists reported the discovery of 13 burials in front of Structure 18, a pyramid located south of the main temple complex. Subsequent analysis revealed signs of ritual beheadings that took place during the Late Classic Period (CE 600–900).

Anthropological studies confirmed that at least two individuals were decapitated as part of ritual offerings. One skull showed horizontal cut marks at the craniocervical junction.

According to Miriam Angélica Camacho Martínez, a physical anthropologist from the INAH Tabasco Centre, “a sharp object was used to extract the skull,” as evidenced by the preserved anatomical connection between the mandible and cervical vertebrae. However, it remains unclear whether the decapitation occurred before or after death.

In addition to beheadings, several burials showed signs of tabular oblique deformation, a form of cranial modification used to indicate high social status.

Researchers believe the arrangement of these burials—by depth and style—suggests they were offerings to a Maya underworld deity, part of a broader ritual to consecrate the temple.

Anatomical analysis further revealed that all individuals were males between the ages of 17 and 35. While the Maya sometimes sacrificed war captives during the first millennium, it is unknown whether these men were prisoners.

These findings are consistent with previous discoveries at Moral-Reforma, where a total of 76 pre-Hispanic structures have been identified. However, the specific deity to whom this pyramid was dedicated remains undetermined.

Human sacrifice was a central element of Maya religious life, which included offerings of animals such as iguanas, jaguars, crocodiles, turkeys, peccaries, and dogs. Still, the ultimate offering was human life, often presented in elaborate ceremonial contexts. These rituals are frequently depicted in Maya sculpture, murals, and ceramics.