September 5, 2019

Update on Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Andean Massive Child Sacrifice

140 children and 200 Llamas were ritually sacrificed by the Chimu culture of the Ancient Andes, at the Huanchaquito-Las Llamas Site, dated to 1400 CE. Most of the children were between 5-14 years of age, and of both sexes. The site is a half mile from the huge Chimu site of Chan Chan. An earlier dig in 2011 uncovered an earlier mass child sacrifice of 42 children and 76 llamas. The dig continued at this site, and by 2016, the 140 child sacrifices were uncovered.

The children had red cinnabar on their faces, their chests were cut open to remove their hearts. A man and two women were sacrificed close by, by means of blunt force trauma. All were killed at a single event. The sacrificed were brought to the site from all over the Chimu empire. The cuts to the bodies indicate they were all killed by trained hands.

The sacrifice may have been an attempt to ward off the effects of El Nino.

Research on the victims will be ongoing at the site. There are other sacrifices of children and llamas in other areas. And this find may be just the tip of the iceberg according to the researchers.

National Geographic has the follow up report here;
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/04/mass-child-human-animal-sacrifice-peru-chimu-science/

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Andean News
https://mikeruggerisancientandean.news.blog

Mike Ruggeri’s Sican/Chimu Era Cultures
https://mikeruggerissicanchimueracultures.home.blog