More than a mile of ancient Inca roadways, hidden beneath dense tropical vegetation for centuries, have been discovered near Machu Picchu, archaeologists have revealed.
Using drone-mounted laser technology, a Polish-Peruvian research team reports the discovery of more than 1.6 miles of previously unknown roads located across the valley from the famous Peruvian site, offering new insights into ancient Inca activity in the region.
The discoveries were made during research the international collaboration was undertaking within Peru’s Machu Picchu National Archaeological Park, and required the use of drones equipped with light detection and ranging, or LiDAR technologies, which rely on laser pulses to generate remarkably detailed maps of terrain, even when it is obscured by vegetation or other features when seen from above.
The recent surveys, which were undertaken in July and August of this year, have helped uncover a system of roads that once led toward platforms and terraces located near the so-called Mandor Wall, a feature located across the Urubamba Valley from the Machu Picchu complex.
The recent drone-based LiDAR survey was led by Bartłomiej Ćmielewski, and Peruvian archaeologist Jeff Rocky Contreras Soto participated in the fieldwork, along with other specialists.
New Insights into an Ancient Inca Enigma
The research team says its discoveries add new insights into the extensive network of roads and settlements that surround the area known as Llaqta de Machu Picchu.
In the past, more than 60 archaeological sites have already been documented in the park, many of which were connected by a complex system of roads at the height of their use centuries ago. Each of the individual sites served different purposes and functions related to the primary settlement.
Most of the sites uncovered in the area were located on the left bank of the Urubamba River, which is a headwater of the Amazon River and served as a major waterway for the Inca many centuries ago.
However, the newly documented roadways, platforms, and terraces offer additional evidence that supports past discoveries suggesting there had been significant Inca construction and activity that also occurred on the opposite side of the valley.
More work remains for the international collaboration, and a future field campaign planned for the 2027 field season is expected to complete the team’s remote-sensing surveys of the area. After that, partial excavations of some of the newly uncovered roadways and other features will also be undertaken.
“There will definitely be at least twice as many,” said Prof. Mariusz Ziółkowski of the team’s forthcoming work in a recent statement.
“LiDAR is a technology that requires many hours of analysis using complex software. It’s very tedious work, so we’ve only completed the first stage of analysis,” Ziółkowski added.
For now, the research team, consisting of archaeologists from the University of Warsaw, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, and institutions in Peru, says the precise locations of the recent discoveries have not yet been revealed due to concerns over looting and potential damage to the ancient sites.
“This discovery complements and significantly modifies hypotheses regarding the functioning of the entire complex,” Ziółkowski said of the team’s recent discoveries, adding that the researchers plan to expand their investigations into the surrounding research area next year.
“We will seek permission, together with Peruvian colleagues, to conduct at least spot excavations of the discovered routes,” Ziółkowski said.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.