Peru: Archaeologists unearth 1,000-year-old sacrificial dog skeletons in Lima

Archaeologists unearthed what is believed to be the 1,000-year-old sacrificial remains of 12 animals, ten dogs and two guinea pigs, alongside a young boy, at an Huacan (pre-Colombian) tomb in Lima's Parque de las Leyendas zoo, Tuesday. The body of the young boy was positioned as if he was embracing one of the dogs.

Lucenida Carreon, archaeologist at Parque de las Leyendas zoo, presented one of the tombs called 'El Rosal' or 'Huaca 20 A.' Carreon stated that "here we found ten dogs, two guinea pigs and one human hand that has been in the tomb for more than one thousand years."

Carreon also suggested that, according to initial assumptions, it is highly likely that the unearthed animals were sacrificed along with the human they were laid next to. "We also found out that one of the dogs was beheaded, and by the form that was found associated with tied ropes to the neck and feet, also a hangman. I believe that it is more likely that they were sacrifices" said Carreon.