Archaeologists uncover 1,400-year-old suspected human sacrifice at Peruvian pyramid site

MEXICO CITY - Archaeologists excavating in the Peruvian capital Lima have uncovered the roughly 1,400-year-old remains of what may have been a human sacrifice, the country's Culture Ministry said on Tuesday.

The discovery was made at the Huaca Pucllana ruins site, an adobe and clay pyramid built by the indigenous Lima civilisation between 450 and 650 AD.

An archaeological team found the remains of what is believed to be an adult male.

They are thought to have been placed as an offering during the ritual closure of an underground water channel connected to a ceremonial well. A ceramic snake's head was also unearthed.

The skeleton was lying along the channel, oriented in a north-south direction and resting on its left side.

Its skull was facing west, towards the pyramid and the sea, suggesting "an intentional arrangement connected with the ritual consecration of the structure,” the Culture Ministry said.

The discovery provides new insights into ritual practices at Huaca Pucllana, according to cultural authorities.

The site in the Miraflores district is known for its stepped pyramid, which is made up of millions of handmade mud bricks. - BERNAMA