The remains of a human sacrifice have been found near an ancient pyramid in Peru

An unusual burial has been discovered at the Waka Puklyana archaeological site in modern-day Lima.

According to the head of the excavation, archaeologist Gladys Paz, the remains belonged to an adult, presumably a man.

His body had been placed directly inside the canal. The individual was lying on his left side, with his head facing towards the massive pyramid and the nearby Pacific Ocean.

It was precisely the position of the remains and the archaeological context that led experts to conclude that this was no ordinary burial.

Researchers believe that the burial may have been linked to a ceremony marking the closure of the canal, which connected to a ritual pool.

In that case, the human remains may have formed part of an offering marking the end of the structure’s use.

However, it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions about a sacrifice.

Archaeologists have yet to examine the skeleton in detail and determine whether there are any signs of trauma on the bones that might indicate a violent death. Therefore, the theory of a human sacrifice remains the most intriguing interpretation of the context of the find, rather than a definitively proven fact.

The find is linked to the ancient Lima culture, which flourished on the central coast of Peru from approximately the 1st to the 7th century AD.

It disappeared some 700 years before the rise of the Inca Empire.

Waka-Puklyana was one of the most important ceremonial and administrative centres of this culture. The enormous pyramid was built mainly from small adobe bricks.

Today, the ancient complex lies literally within the modern metropolis — amongst the streets, parks and residential buildings of the upmarket districts of Miraflores and San Isidro.

During the same excavations, archaeologists also discovered an unusual ceramic artefact in the shape of a snake’s head.

It is not yet possible to say with certainty whether it is directly linked to the body found or was used in the same ritual.

Nevertheless, such a find adds to the picture of the ceremonial activities that took place at the site of Huaca Pucllana many centuries ago.

In ancient Andean societies, significant architectural changes might have been accompanied by rituals and offerings.

The closure of a canal or the discontinuation of a ceremonial structure’s use might have been perceived not as a routine technical operation, but as an event requiring a special rite.

Archaeologists are therefore considering the possibility that the individual was deliberately placed in the canal at the very moment of its ritual ‘closure’.

Further analysis of the bones and surrounding artefacts should reveal to what extent this theory corresponds to the actual circumstances of the death and burial.

The remains may provide researchers with considerably more information than simply the presumed reason for the burial.

Analysis of the skeleton can help determine the individual’s sex and age, their state of health, any injuries and certain aspects of their lifestyle.

The search for signs of violent death will be particularly important.

If such signs are found and linked to the time of burial, the theory of human sacrifice will gain considerably more credence.

For now, however, archaeologists are cautiously referring to the individual as a possible ritual sacrifice.

Why this is important

Waka Puklyana offers a glimpse into Peru’s history long before the famous Incas.

The new discovery shows that the architecture of the ancient complex was closely linked to ceremonies, water and conceptions of sacred space.

The position of the body is particularly intriguing: the individual was buried inside a canal, with their head facing the pyramid and the ocean. If further research confirms that this was a ritual killing, the discovery will help to reconstruct the ceremonies of the Lima culture more accurately and to understand what role human sacrifice may have played in the alteration or closure of sacred structures.

Source

Location: Huaca Pucllana archaeological complex, Lima, Peru.

Culture: Lima, 1st–7th centuries AD.