Human sacrifices are the most infamous feature of ancient South American societies, but what do we know about the victims? New research published in The American Journal of Physical Anthropology explores archeological evidence from Peru, dating to the Late Horizon era between 1450 and 1532 A.D.
Evidence ranging from bone collagen to hair keratin was used to examine where the victims lived in the decade before their death, as well as their diets in the months leading up to their fatal ritual. The results reveal that rather than being captured foreign warriors, the victims were local to the area, but consumed variable diets consistent with their social status; suggesting a distinct pattern of human sacrifice in this era.
Wiley