Archaeologists have discovered the most massive child sacrifice in the Americas. During excavations on the northern coast of Peru, scientists have found the remains of more than 140 children and 200 young lamas, according to National Geographic. According to experts, all the victims were killed about 550 years ago. At this time, the Chimu culture existed in this region.
Although the Spanish chronicles wrote about human sacrifice by the Maya, Aztec and Inca civilizations, little evidence of the pre-Columbian ritual massacre of children was known to date.
The place where the remains were found is located on a small cliff at an altitude of several hundred meters above sea level. Excavations were carried out in the Juanchaco area in the city of Trujillo. In 2011, the remains of children were already found in this place. Then the skeletons of 42 children and 76 lamas were discovered.
And now a new discovery. The remains of more than 140 children and 200 llamas were found 5 years later. The skeletons were wrapped in cloth and tied with ropes.
Radiocarbon dating has shown that people were buried between 1400-1450.
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The children's faces were smeared with red cinnabar, and in the chest area they had marks indicating that hearts were taken out of the bodies. The age of the children was different: from 5 to 14 years old. Most of the victims were between 8 and 12 years old. The Lamas were less than 18 months old. They were buried heading east towards the Andes.
Not far from the skeletons of children, the remains of three adults were found: a man and two women. They had injuries to the skull from blunt force. Scientists believe they were involved in a sacrificial ritual and were killed shortly after.
