Isla de Sacrificios facts for kids
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 Isla de Sacrificios
Location in Mexico
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Gulf coastline |
| Coordinates | 19°10′30″N 96°05′32″W / 19.1751°N 96.0921°W |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Administration | |
| State | Veracruz |
| County | Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano |
| Governing body | Secretariat of the Navy |
Isla de Sacrificios means "Island of Sacrifices." It is an island located in the Gulf of Mexico. You can find it off the coastline near the port city of Veracruz in Mexico.
The ocean waters around the island are part of the Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano National Marine Park. This means they are protected. Currently, the island is closed to visitors. The Secretariat of the Navy keeps it safe.
Contents
Discovering Isla de Sacrificios
The island got its name in 1518. This was when an expedition led by Juan de Grijalva explored this part of the Gulf Coast. It was the first time Spanish explorers had charted this area.
Why it's called "Island of Sacrifices"
A member of the expedition, Bernal Díaz, wrote about their journey. He later joined Hernán Cortés on another trip. Díaz explained how the island got its name.
When they landed, they found two stone buildings. These buildings had steps leading up to altars. On these altars, they saw statues that looked like gods. They also found signs that people had been sacrificed there recently. This discovery surprised the explorers greatly. Because of what they found, they named the island Isla de Sacrificios. This name is still used on maps today.
Pirates and the Island
Isla de Sacrificios was once a hideout for pirates. In 1683, two famous pirates, Laurens de Graaf and Nicholas van Hoorn, used the island. They had just attacked the city of Veracruz.
A Pirate Dispute
After their attack, the pirates retreated to the island. They were waiting for ransom payments for the people they had captured. Nicholas van Hoorn grew impatient because the payments were delayed. He ordered some Spanish prisoners to be executed. Their heads were sent to Veracruz to show his anger.
Laurens de Graaf was very upset by Van Hoorn's actions. The two pirates argued and then fought a duel. During the fight, Van Hoorn received a small injury to his wrist. Sadly, the wound became infected, and Van Hoorn died shortly after.
Later Explorations
In 1823, a collector of old artifacts named William Bullock visited the island. He described it as mostly a "heap of sand." Only one family lived there at the time.
Ancient Ruins and Burials
Bullock also saw some ruins of old buildings. These buildings were from a time before Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. Many items found on the island are now displayed in the British Museum.
Bullock also noted that many people who had died in the area were buried on the island. This was because they could not be buried in other places.
Images for kids
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Monument text "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE. 1893. A LA MÉMOIRE DES OFFICIERS, MARINS ET SOLDATS FRANÇAIS INHUMÉS DANS L'ILE DE SACRIFICIOS. 1838.-1867."
See also
In Spanish: Isla de Sacrificios para niños
