In the region near Huanchaco-Las Llamas, the capital of the Chimú Empire, a local pizza shop owner, in 2011, alerted Gabriel Prieto, an archaeology professor from the National University of Trujillo, about a vacant lot filled with human bones.

Initially thought to be a forgotten cemetery, Prieto, upon excavation, discovered that the remains were all children, approximately 500 years old, accompanied by llamas.

This archaeological site has become a hub of activity for archaeologists. A subsequent site named Pampa la Cruz, excavated in 2018, revealed more child and llama sacrifices, bringing the total to 269 children, 466 llamas, and 3 adults. It is considered the largest mass child sacrifice in the archaeological record.

Archaeologists, including John Verano of Tulane University, have been trying to understand the circumstances that led to this mass child sacrifice.

Many of the children, aged between 5 and 14, had faces smeared with red pigment, chests cut open, ribs dislocated, and likely had their hearts removed. The sacrificial llamas shared a similar fate.

Child sacrifice is rare in the archaeological record as it doesn’t make economic sense. The article raises questions about why a society would eliminate a part of its population that had already survived the challenges of early childhood.

The sacrificial llamas were 18 months old and selectively chosen based on their color, with brown llamas being culled while black and white llamas were spared.

The discovery has led archaeologists to explore the reasons behind this unprecedented mass child sacrifice, offering a glimpse into the rituals and beliefs of the ancient Chimú people.