Remains of children and adults sacrificed 1,200 years ago found in Peru
Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed eight children and 12 adults who appear to have been sacrificed around 800-1,200 years ago in a major dig at the pre-Incan Cajamarquilla complex 25 km east of the country’s capital Lima. Archaeologist Pieter Van Dalen said at a press conference on Tuesday that the bodies, some mummified and others skeletons, were wrapped in various layers of textiles as part of an ancient ritual. They were laid by the side of the main mummy which appeared to be that of the ruler or prominent noble. "For them, death was not the end, but rather a transition to a parallel world where the dead lived. They thought that the souls of the dead became protectors of the living," Van Dalen explained. Read more