Archaeologists in El Salvador have dug up human remains believed to be nearly 3,000 years old, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Culture.
The burial site was first identified on 2 July during excavations in Antiguo Cuscatlan, a suburb near the capital, San Salvador.
Historical experts at the ministry estimate that the grave dates back to roughly 850 BC.
Alongside the human skeleton, researchers recovered a small ceramic pot shaped like a sea turtle, crafted in the traditional Usulutan style.
The excavation pit also contained pieces of cassava branches, preserved across centuries beneath dense layers of volcanic ash.
The individual was buried lying face down.
Scientific teams will now conduct radiocarbon testing to confirm the exact age of the remains, alongside DNA analysis to determine the biological sex.
Officials from the Ministry of Culture noted that the burial shares key characteristics with historic finds at the Chalchuapa archaeological site in western El Salvador.
During the 1970s, researchers at Chalchuapa uncovered the remains of 33 individuals, an excavation widely regarded as providing the earliest physical evidence of human sacrifice in Mesoamerica.
That earlier discovery included 26 complete skeletons, four partial sets of remains, and three individual skulls.
Many of those skeletons were positioned face down with bound limbs, while others showed distinct signs of decapitation or deliberate bodily injury.
