Largest archaeological discovery since the 1980s found in Peru: more than 100 structures shed light on the “cloud forest people”

In May 2025, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) astonished the world by announcing a bombshell archaeological discovery at Gran Pajatén, located within Peru’s Río Abiseo National Park.

Over 100 previously undocumented structures were identified, shedding new light on the Chachapoyas civilisation, often known as the “people of the cloud forest,” which developed between the seventh and sixteenth centuries.

Gran Pajatén, discovered in the 1960s, is renowned for its circular stone buildings, geometric friezes, and highly decorated cliffside burials. The newly discovered structures suggest a more extensive settlement than previously understood, offering insights into the civilisation’s societal organisation and cultural practices. It also confirms a Chachapoya presence at Gran Pajatén that dates back as far as the fourteenth century.

‘This discovery radically expands our understanding’

A team of researchers used various techniques to gain such unique insights, including aerial and manual LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, topographic registration and technomorphological analysis.

With these methods, archaeologists were able to see through the forest canopy without damaging it, giving them the capacity to perform high-precision mapping of the site’s layout and relationships with the natural environment.

Juan Pablo de la Puente Brunke, Executive Director of WMF in Peru said that “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.”

Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and CEO of World Monuments Fund highlighted the importance of the scientific methods in the statement, saying that “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 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.”

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