Peru human sacrifice
Remains of 140 children that were victims to human sacrifice rituals by the Chimu Empire was found in March, 2018.Reuters

A year after an archaeological discovery in Peru found what was then believed to be world's largest number of child sacrifice remains, a recent discovery slammed the previous record with 227 bodies of children found in Huanchaco, north of Lima, Peru.

The bodies of children, aged between four and 14 were sacrificed as a ritual to honour the god of the Chimu Empire, which is believed to have flourished more than 1200-1400 years ago.

The region in the northern coast of Peru is the biggest site where the remains of sacrificed children were found, archaeologist Feren Castillo told AFP on Tuesday. Evidence of the children being killed during wet weather suggest that they were sacrificed to appease the El Nino phenomenon, he added.

The bodies were found in a position that faced the sea and some even had skin and hair.

In March last year, remains of 140 children and 200 young llamas who were believed to have been killed in a heart removal ritual more 550 were found in Huanchaquito-Las Llamas, also the capital of the Chimu Empire.

National Geographic reported that evidence of the skeletons of children and animals showing cuts to the sternum as well as rib dislocations suggested that the chests of the victims were cut open to make removal of hearts easier.

The archaeologist had also stated that the lack of grave goods and signs of blunt-forced trauma on the remains were major indicators to suggest that the remains were that of victims of human sacrifices.

While not much is known about Chimu civilisation, at its peak, the empire controlled 600-mile-long territory along the Pacific coast all the way from Lima to the valleys in the modern Peru-Ecuador border. The civilisation was wiped away after the Incas conquered the empire in 1475 AD.