Major Discoveries at Chachapoya Site in Peru Announced

GRAN PAJATÉN, PERU—The Chachapoya civilization developed between the seventh and the sixteenth century high in the Andes Mountains of northern Peru. They are known for building sophisticated urban centers in often remote and rugged locations perched as high as 9,500 feet above sea level. According to a statement released by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), over the past several years a new project has revealed major new discoveries at Gran Patajén, one of the most enigmatic yet culturally significant Chachapoya sites. Previous work in the area during the 1960s identified 26 archaeological structures, which included ceremonial buildings decorated with stone mosaics depicting human figures and high-relief friezes. However, much of the site remained buried in thick vegetation. The new project was able to reveal more than 100 additional buildings at the site, which marks a milestone in the understanding of Chachapoya settlement organization, architecture, and regional influence. “This discovery radically expands our understanding of Gran Pajatén and raises new questions about the site’s role in the Chachapoya world,” said Juan Pablo de la Puente Brunke, executive director of WMF in Peru. “Evidence now confirms that it is not an isolated complex but part of an articulated network of pre-Hispanic settlements from different periods.” To read about excavations of the monumental center of Pañamarca in northern Peru, go to "The Making of a Moche Queen," one of ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 Discoveries of 2024.