A Beneficial Position
If a child served as a sacrifice, an elevated status was then placed on the sacrifice's family because of the honor. A sacrifice was never viewed as an act of punishment but rather a supreme gift. The child would be honoring their own family as well as ensuring prosperity for the empire...
Not All Deaths Were Peaceful
Though there are several accounts of peaceful deaths like Tanta's, there are other instances where the child was brutally killed. Following a ritual celebration at the place of sacrifice, many children were knocked unconscious, and the bodies have skull fractures as proof. However, this was likely due to preventing them from having to suffer for a long time in the elements...
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