17:00 | Urubamba (Cusco region), Aug. 10.
A new archaeological discovery in
Machu Picchu has surprised the scientific community.
The agency specified that the platforms and terraces along trails leading to the Inca Citadel were identified using LiDAR remote-sensing technology around the Mandor wall during preliminary archaeological reconnaissance work conducted last July.
At least 1.2 kilometers of these trails feature a layout and characteristics consistent with Inca-era construction techniques, such as a zigzag route.
The cultural agency highlighted the importance of the discovery, which will expand knowledge of the territorial configuration, access systems, and spaces that formed part of Machu Picchu's cultural landscape.
The work was carried out in scientific cooperation with the Center for Andean Studies at the University of Warsaw.
At the Machu Picchu Archaeological Park, experts used remote-sensing technology to detect and record possible archaeological evidence hidden beneath the dense vegetation and rugged terrain of the eastern Andean foothills.
The DDC Cusco confirmed targeted archaeological investigations, which will include field surveys and recording work to determine the characteristics, chronology, functionality, and state of conservation of the identified evidence.
Likewise, the necessary measures for their protection, conservation, and proper documentation will be assessed, as well as, where appropriate, future efforts to enhance their cultural value.
Mandor
The Mandor wall area, located east of the Machu Picchu llaqta, is a site of particular interest within the site's cultural landscape.
The new evidence expands knowledge of the area's pre-Hispanic occupation.
It also raises new questions about the role this sector may have played in the territorial, landscape, and circulation organization associated with Machu Picchu.
The use of remote-sensing technologies is particularly useful for archaeological research in Machu Picchu due to the archaeological park’s geographical conditions and vegetation cover.
These tools help guide and focus subsequent fieldwork, optimizing the recording and analysis of evidence that is not easily detectable from the surface.
Team of specialists
The team that conducted the survey and documentation included Dr. Jan Klaput of the Center for Andean Studies at the University of Warsaw.
The application of advanced remote-sensing technologies was led by Dr. Bartlomiej Cmielewski of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.
The team included archaeologist Jeff Rocky Contreras Soto of Apu Space and Dr. Pawel Dabek of Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences as well.
Also present were the head of the Machu Picchu Archaeological Research Coordination Office, Nino del Solar Velarde; the Executive Director of the DDC Cusco, Maritza Rosa Candia; and the Director of the Center for Andean Studies at the University of Warsaw, Mariusz Ziólkowski.
The latter two officials agreed that the findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex network of trails, structures, and spaces that shaped Machu Picchu's pre-Hispanic cultural landscape.
The findings further contribute to strengthening research, protection, and dissemination efforts for this heritage site, which has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983.
(END) PHS/MAO/MVB
Published: 8/10/2026