In what could have been the largest known child sacrifice, anthropologists have unearthed evidence of a ritual in which more than 140 children were ritually killed. In 2011, local found human remains on the northern coast of Peru, an emergency dig at conducted at the site. What followed was the discovery of ancient bodies belonging to children and young Ilamas. Over the next five years, archaeologists discovered more such remains from the excavation at Huanchaquito-Las Llamas that happened roughly 550 years ago under the powerful pre-Colombian Chimu Empire.

According to the experts, children and animals sacrificed in the ritual were killed with a cut across the chest. Kids used for the horrific ceremony were aged between 8 and 12. While oldest was around 14, the youngest was only about five years old. The remains of Ilamas excavated suggested that they were aged around 18 months.

The scientific investigations were led by Gabriel Prieto of the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo and John Verano of Tulane University supported by grants from the National Geographic Society.

While the Ilamas were buried facing towards the Andes, the children were buried in the westward direction. According to the National Geographic report, footprints suggested that the children and Ilamas could have been led by in a procession from the north and south to converge on the centre.

Certain footprints and marks found in the site hinted that the animals were forcibly brought to sacrifice. When the mass killing sacrifice took place, the site was covered in a layer of mud, due to which they were simply left without being buried in their pits.

Similiar remains were also found at Templo Mayor in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán where 42 children were killed. While the exact reason for the killings cannot be understood, scientists say that it would have to their appeal to Gods to put an end to heavy rains and flooding. Ancient mud at the site suggests that northern Peru may have ad severe weather conditions due to El-Niño event. The experts are trying to study the place in detail by conducting DNA and isotopic analyses on the remains.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 27, 2018 11:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).