6. The Shang Dynasty, China
In the heart of ancient China’s Shang Dynasty lies a chilling legacy buried under royal tombs; lavish graves filled not only with treasures but with human lives. Servants, military prisoners, and even animals were sacrificed to serve their rulers in the afterlife, turning funerals into grim spectacles of power. These haunting rituals reveal a world where death was orchestrated to mirror status, loyalty, and control beyond the grave.