The Hero Twin tradition is part of the interpretive context for the chultún findings.

It is not an established explanation.

The Ritual Interpretation and Its Limits

The 2024 study interprets the interments in the chultún as occurring within a ritual-sacrifice context.

This interpretation is supported by the overall character of the evidence: the deliberate nature of the feature’s use, the demographic profile of the individuals, the lack of typical domestic mortuary context, and the broader evidence of ritual activity at and around the Sacred Cenote.

What ancient DNA cannot establish is the specific nature of the ritual actions that accompanied the children’s deaths or interment.