Ancient Peruvian communities showed little everyday violence, study finds
A new study of ancient communities on Peru's northern coast examined violence during periods of severe environmental disruption.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
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What happened
A new study found that ancient communities on Peru's northern coast had surprisingly low levels of everyday interpersonal violence. This was true even though these communities endured catastrophic El Niño events and other major environmental disruption. Human sacrifice was practiced in a key coastal area of Peru, yet violence there was still low.
Why it matters
The findings raise an intriguing question about whether human sacrifice may have helped lower violence. The reports do not establish a definite cause.
Coverage
- Ancient Peruvians experienced little everyday violence despite catastrophic El Niño events (heritagedaily.com)
- Did human sacrifice help lower violence? New research in Peru leaves intriguing question (livescience.com)
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