A skeleton has been discovered under the stone walls of Wolseong Palace in Gyeongju, the former capital of the Silla Kingdom, bearing what is presumed to be evidence of human sacrifice.

The Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage said Tuesday that it dug up remains belonging to a petite woman in her 20s with a height of 135 centimeters dating back to the mid-fourth century, with her neck bent at an awkward angle. The agency added that animal bones were also discovered nearby. 

They were found just 50 centimeters from where the remains of a man and woman in their 50s were found in 2017, who showed the first evidence of ritualistic human sacrifice in ancient Korea.

The latest remains will serve as key material in learning more about the rituals that people in the Silla Kingdom conducted while building stone walls. 

An official of the Gyeongju research institute said these people were likely buried dead given that there were no signs of resistance. The ritual is likely related to the “Inju fable,” which says that burying a person under the foundation of a building ensures the lasting integrity of the structure.