New research on human sacrifice in Peru

[Michael Ruggeri]

New research into the practice of human sacrifice in Peru during the
Late Horizon dates of 1450-1532 has been carried out to find out the
diet of the sacrificed victims. The bone collagen and hair keratin of
the victims were examined. The work was carried out at the
Chotuna-Chornancap Archaeological Complex. The sacrificed lived during
the Inca imperium in Lambayeque. 33 sets of human remains were sampled
to look at the final decade to the final months of those sacrificed.
30 of the samples were from females with most dying between ages 9 and
15. Inca rituals during this era focused on females and juveniles for
sacrifice. They were dispatched by cutting the throat with a copper or
bronze tumi knife. It was found that the victims were local and had
diets consistent with their social status. This new find shows that
human sacrifice in this geographical area differed from other areas of
Peru at the time, where victims were fattened up and were outsiders.
The report is published in The American Journal of Physical
Anthropology.

Past Horizons has the report here with good photos;
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/03/2013/death-and-diet-perus-sacrificial-victims

Mike Ruggeri's Andean Archaeology News and Links
http://bit.ly/YquZ6i