The mystery of Kuélap: the bones that lay in plain sight for centuries before everyone… “and no one saw”

Peru remains one of the world’s richest archaeological treasure troves. Beneath its soil lie the remains of ancient civilizations and cultures that flourished across landscapes ranging from the high plateaus of the Altiplano to the dense rainforests of the Amazon.

The Inca Empire is the best known of the civilizations that emerged in these lands, achieving levels of development that, in many respects, rivaled or even surpassed those of contemporary Europe. Among its greatest achievements are iconic sites such as Machu Picchu.

About 620 miles farther north stands another of Peru’s celebrated archaeological gems. At the Kuélap Archaeological Complex, located in the Amazonas region, researchers have uncovered a funerary structure that remained hidden in plain sight for centuries.

A one-of-a-kind discovery

The human remains were found within the Kuélap Archaeological Complex, a pre-Inca fortified stronghold built by the Chachapoya civilization in northern Peru.

Inside the funerary structure, archaeologists discovered the remains of five individuals: four adults and one child. One individual had been placed in a seated position on top of the others, suggesting that the burial occurred at a later date.

According to archaeologists speaking with the state news agency Andina, this is the first funerary structure of its kind ever identified at Kuélap, providing further evidence of the Chachapoya culture’s remarkable cultural achievements.

The Chachapoya people inhabited the eastern slopes of the northern Peruvian Andes between A.D. 800 and 1570. After being conquered by the Incas, their culture was gradually absorbed into the empire. Following the arrival of the Spanish, many Chachapoya warriors joined the conquistadors in their campaign against the Inca government.

Hidden in plain sight

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the discovery is its location. The funerary structure stood in a central area of the fortress where two of its most important entrances converge.

“In some way, it was a place of great importance and sacred significance to them, and it was visible to everyone,” said Rocío Sánchez, the Amazonas region’s director of culture, in comments to the newspaper Andino.

Inside the structure, archaeologists also found a ceremonial vessel known as a phytomorphic paccha, crafted in the Inca style and decorated with representations of the pacay fruit, also known as guaba. The excavation also yielded carved figures and fragments of marine shells.

The marine shells provide evidence of the Chachapoya people’s extensive trade networks, which extended as far as the southern coast of present-day Ecuador.

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