Archaeologists in Peru recently unearthed the remains of six mummified children, who appear to have been victims of human sacrifice between 1000 and 1200 AD. These sacrificed children were entombed near the mummified remains of a prominent aristocrat or wealthy individual, suggesting they were selected to accompany him on his journey into the afterlife.
Pieter Van Dalen, the chief archaeologist leading the excavations at the Cajamarquilla site, located 24 kilometers east of Lima, confirmed the discovery. The mummified children were found near the tomb of an elite figure, whose mummy was previously unearthed in November.
The children are thought to have been sacrificed, possibly as members of the elite individual’s family. Radiocarbon dating places their remains between 800 and 1000 AD, predating the Inca era by several centuries.
In addition to the mummified children, the remains of seven adults were discovered nearby. Unlike the children, these adults had not been mummified.
Since November 2021, archaeologists from the University of San Marcos have uncovered a total of 14 sets of remains at Cajamarquilla. The previously unearthed mummy of the elite individual, positioned with hands covering the face, indicated his special economic and social status despite his relatively young age of 18 to 22 years old.
Cajamarquilla was once a significant urban center with a population estimated between 10,000 and 20,000 people. Founded around 200 BC, it remained inhabited until the 16th century.
