Locals in the southern rainforest of Peru may have stumbled across an Inca city while grazing cattle. The Provincial Municipality of La Convención shared images of the site, close to the National Sanctuary of Megantoni. In a space around two hectares big, residents found houses, walls, passageways, platforms, and streets that could date all the way back to the Inca civilization.
Villagers told local authorities of their find – which occurred on September 9 – and returned with officials to take another look at what could be an old Inca citadel that had been covered by vegetation. La Convención mayor Wilfredo Alagon said he would report the find to the Decentralized Culture Directorate of Cusco (DDCC), and monument management body head Jorge Yabar Zamalloa told the Andina news agency they have sent an archaeologist to the site to put together a technical report.
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Structures made with stone can be glimpsed in the photographs, which have been presented as evidence for the city, according to Andina. There’s no firm date attached to the archaeological remains as of yet – although the Inca civilization flourished between 1,425 C.E. and 1,532 C.E. in South America, according to the non-profit organization Ancient History Encyclopedia.
The Inca civilization often utilized stone in buildings. In a 2014 article, Ancient History Encyclopedia writer Mark Cartwright said, “Inca architecture includes some of the most finely worked stone structures from any ancient civilization…it typically incorporated the natural landscape yet at the same time managed to dominate it to create an often spectacular blend of geometrical and natural forms.”
Alagon said they’ll take measures to protect these remains, according to Archaeology.
Via Archaeology, Provincial Municipality of La Convención, and Andina
Images via Provincial Municipality of La Convención
