LA JALCA, PERU—Andina reports that a series of new discoveries in Peru's Amazonas region are providing important new information about the area’s pre-Hispanic history and, especially, the enigmatic Chachapoyas civilization, sometimes referred to as the Warriors of the Clouds. A research team used drones and lidar technology to tentatively identify and map more than 200 previously unknown Chachapoyas structures scattered across the mountainous terrain near the Ollape Archaeological Site. These features were later confirmed by an on-the-ground reconnaissance team from the Kuelap Archaeology and Anthropology Research Institute and the Xalca Grande Archaeological Project. These structures indicate that the Chachapoyas people may have had a greater territorial influence and extent than previously believed. However, the most intriguing discovery was that of two ceremonial club heads found within the ruins of a circular building. According to the researchers, the orientation and position of the objects suggest that they were originally placed along the exterior of the structure and likely had ritual or symbolic significance. For more on the Chachapoyas, go to "Around the World: Peru."
