A "mixed mass grave" means that corpses were thrown one on top of another. If so, says Dr al-Hourani, they were among the more recent victims: they died no more than a year ago. And, says Dr al-Hourani, "in a mixed mass grave, you have to do about 20 tests to gather all the parts of one body". At the current rate, it can take months to identify just one victim from a mixed mass grave. 'Mangled and tortured' bodiesEleven of those "mixed mass graves" are slung around a beautiful, barren hilltop outside Damascus.