Archaeologists Discovered Over 100 Chachapoya Structures at Gran Pajatén in Peru, Dating Back to 14th Century

The Peruvian Andes’ remoteness, extreme elevation, and lush cloud forest have long shielded its mysteries from modern eyes. For decades, archaeologists have suspected that far more remained buried in these dense, whispering woods than previously recorded. However, it was not until a recent expedition to Peru’s Río Abiseo National Park that the full scale of one ancient civilization’s reach finally began to emerge, as reported by Popular Mechanics. A team of archaeologists, working with the World Monuments Fund (WMF), uncovered more than 100 previously unknown structures belonging to the Chachapoya civilization, deep within the Gran Pajatén area, perched over 10,000 feet above sea level in Peru’s San Martín region.

Known as the “people of the cloud forest,” the Chachapoya lived between the 7th and 16th centuries, building sophisticated urban centers and ceremonial complexes far from the bustling empires of the coastal and highland Andes. “What makes this moment so meaningful is not only the scale of what’s been uncovered but how we were able to do it. By using advanced technology, our team was able to gather extraordinary visual and scientific documentation that brings Grant Pajatén to life—all while preserving its delicate environment,” Benedicte de Montlaur, president and CEO of WMF, stated in WMF’s press release.

Until recently, researchers only found 26 structures that, too, back in the 1980s. But from 2022 to 2024, researchers launched a new phase of exploration. Employing cutting-edge tools, they were able to penetrate the forest canopy without disturbing the fragile environment. What they revealed was staggering: over 100 previously undocumented constructions, dramatically reshaping the archaeological map of Gran Pajatén. Juan Pablo de la Puente Brunke, executive director of WMF in Peru, remarked, “This discovery radically expands our understating of Gran Pajatén and raises new questions about the site’s role in the Chachapoya world…Evidence now confirms that it is not an isolated complex but part of an articulated network of pre-Hispanic settlements from different periods,” per press release.

The researchers have used cutting-edge technology to understand the structures they have found in the national park. Such technology includes photogrammetry, aerial and manual LiDAR scanning, technomorphological analysis, and topographic registration, which assisted the team of the World Monuments Fund in developing a detailed map of Gran Pajatén. Also, these high-tech methods will encourage archaeologists to see through the forest canopy and allow them to perform interpretation and high-precision mapping of the site, its techniques, connections with the environment, and layout without causing any harm to architectural remains. 

De Montlaur remarked, “Though the site itself remains out of reach for most…these tools will allow us to share its stories widely through thoughtful, immersive digital storytelling.” Soil samples suggest the site was inhabited as far back as the 14th century. However, the evidence points to even earlier usage. The discovery also included pre-Hispanic roadways linking Gran Pajatén to nearby sites, like Los Pinchudos and La Playa—an indicator of the civilization’s broad territorial reach and hierarchical systems. While the area remains closed to the public to protect its ecological and archaeological integrity, a free exhibition at the Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) now showcases the findings through digital reconstructions and immersive storytelling, as per Archaeology News.