Child Sacrifice Victims Unearthed in Peru; 76 Skeletons Reveal Evidence That the Children’s Hearts Were Removed

Archeologists recently said the remains of dozens of child sacrifice victims had been excavated in Peru, and a lot more are likely to be discovered.

As specified in a Live Science report, the skeletons reveal evidence that the hearts of these children were taken out, explained assistant professor of anthropology Gabriel Prieto, from the University of Florida, who directs the excavation at the site called Pampa La Cruz, near Huanchaco where the remains were discovered.

All 76 skeletons had a "transversal clean cut across the sternum," explained Prieto, suggesting that they probably opened up the rib cage and possibly extracted the heart.

The children were buried in an extended position, with their feet toward the east. The children were buried atop an artificial mound. It remains unclear, though, why sacrifices have located this position in this place.

The professor also explained that the area, specifically the mound, was free of Chimu child sacrifices, although they discovered the opposite.

Possible Victims of Child Sacrifices

Excavations have been underway at Pampa La Cruz for many years. Consequently, over 300 child sacrifice victims have been discovered at the site, and 137 children and three adult sacrifice victims were found nearby, Las Llamas. Such remains also reveal that the hearts of children had been removed.

Prieto explained that based on the archeological discoveries found thus far, there are possibly more child sacrifices waiting to be found close to Huanchaco. Specifically, it could be over 1,000 victims, "as crazy as it sounds," elaborated the professor.

Prieto said that radiocarbon dating should be done on the 76 newly unveiled skeletons, although previously discovered victims at Pampa La Cruz dated from AD 1100 to 1200.

Around this time, the Chimu people flourished on the site, famous for their fine metalwork and the city of Chan Chan.

A 'Chimu' Practice

The reason Chimu would have been involved in child sacrifice in this area on such a large scale is not clear, Prieto said. However, Chimu built an artificial irrigation system and new agricultural fields nearby, and some sacrifices may have been made to sanctify this agricultural system.

People living in Huanchaco during the first millennium AD practiced human sacrifice in the area, as well, according to anthropology professor Richard Sutter, from Purdue University Fort Wayne, who is also involved in the team working at Huanchaco.

This means the Chimu may have been carrying on a long-running practice on the site, a similar Ancient Origins report said.

A Cultural Response to Environmental Changes

Scholars who were not part of the excavations said the discoveries at Huanchaco are essential. While other cases of child sacrifices are known from the Andean area, the scale is attacking; Peter Eechhout, a pre-Columbian art and archaeology professor at the Universite libre de Bruxelles in Belgium, said.

The reason the child sacrifices were made is quite difficult to tell, Eeckhout continued explaining, noting that writing was not used in Peru at this time, and therefore, there are no written reports that detail the deaths of these youngsters, an earlier report from Ancient Origins said.

Essentially, problems with climate or environmental changes that may have disrupted agriculture on the site could have played a role in the sacrifice.

The archeology professor also said that it is an amazing site with the possibility of helping those in the field understand much better what was going on at this time in prehistory, explained an independent bioarcheologist, Catherine Gaither.

She elaborated she thinks the reason for such sacrifices was possibly linked, in some way, to a cultural response to environmental change that brought about substantial cultural upheaval.

Related information about child sacrifice victims is shown on Al Jazeera English's YouTube video below:

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