LIMA.- World Monuments Fund today announced a major discovery at Gran Pajatén, one of the most enigmatic and architecturally significant archaeological remnants of the Chachapoya civilization in Peru’s San Martín region. The complex is located within Río Abiseo National Park, a UNESCO Mixed World Heritage site recognized for its extraordinary cultural richness and natural beauty. Researchers have identified and documented more than 100 previously unknown archaeological structures, far exceeding the 26 first recorded in the 1980s. This marks a milestone in our understanding of Chachapoya settlement organization, architecture, and regional influence. The findings are the result of an initiative led by WMF’s office in Peru between 2022 and 2024 that combined exploration, excavation, conservation work, and advanced documentation techniques.


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The Chachapoya civilization, often known as the “people of the cloud forest,” developed between the seventh and sixteenth centuries in the northeastern Andes of Peru. Settling between 2,000 and 3,000 meters (between 6,561 and 9,842 feet) above sea level, they built sophisticated urban centers, ceremonial platforms, cliffside burial structures, and agricultural terraces—often in remote and rugged environments. Their society was composed of regional chiefdoms that nevertheless shared a distinctive architectural and artistic language, as reflected in their unique circular buildings, geometric friezes, and highly decorated cliffside burials. Though they resisted Inca expansion, the Chachapoya were eventually incorporated into the empire in the late 15th century, just before the arrival of the Spanish.

Gran Pajatén, discovered in the 1960s, has long stood as one of the most remarkable surviving Chachapoya sites. The complex includes ceremonial buildings decorated with stone mosaics depicting human figures, high-relief friezes, and a commanding view of the surrounding cloud forest. While earlier research exposed several prominent structures, much of the site remained hidden beneath dense vegetation, and its full scale, function, and chronology were the subject of ongoing speculation. In order to protect Río Abiseo National Park’s unique and highly fragile ecosystem, tourist access to Gran Pajatén and other sites within the park’s borders remains restricted.

Using advanced technology—including aerial and manual LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, topographic registration and technomorphological analysis—WMF was able to generate the most detailed map of Gran Pajatén to date. These methods not only enabled archaeologists to see through the forest canopy but also allowed for high-precision mapping and interpretation of the site’s construction techniques, layout, and relationships with the natural environment without damaging the fragile landscape or its architectural remains.

“This discovery radically expands our understanding 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,” said Juan Pablo de la Puente Brunke, Executive Director of WMF in Peru.

“What makes this moment so meaningful is not only the scale of what’s been uncovered, but how we were able to do it,” said Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and CEO of World Monuments Fund. “By using advanced technology, our team was able to gather extraordinary visual and scientific documentation that brings Gran Pajatén to life—all while preserving its delicate environment. 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.”

Archaeological investigations have confirmed that Chachapoya presence at Gran Pajatén dates back as far as the fourteenth century, with soil layer analysis hinting at even earlier use of the site. Combined with the discovery of a nearby network of pre-Hispanic roads connecting Gran Pajatén to other sites such as La Playa, Papayas, and Los Pinchudos, these findings support a broader interpretation of the complex as part of a hierarchical, well-connected territory.

In parallel with these remote sensing efforts, the team also undertook archaeological and conservation interventions at one of the most important structures within the Gran Pajatén complex. The conservation team conducted controlled vegetation clearing, detailed digital documentation, and physical stabilization, including the refilling of joints, the reinforcement of stairs and stone reliefs, and that partial reassembly of the perimeter wall. A clay-based mix was specially formulated to reinforce these structures without altering their authenticity. “This work constitutes a pioneering intervention that will serve as a model for future conservation actions in the area,” says Dr. Ricardo Morales Gamarra, head of the conservation component of the project.

A free exhibition at the Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), Peru, on view from May 21 to June 18, offers an opportunity to explore the Chachapoya culture and learn more about WMF’s recent discoveries.



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