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Head of one of the sacrificed llamas. Note the colorful tassels on its ears. Image: L.M. Valdez /Antiquity Publications Ltd

First Naturally Mummified Inka Llama Sacrifices Found!

Archaeologists working in Peru have unearthed the first known naturally mummified remains of Inka llama sacrifices. The animals are exceptionally well-preserved and still bear the decorations that...
The figurine and foil from the Inca treasure chest.     Source: Teddy Senguin, Université libre de Bruxelles / Antiquity Publications Ltd

Stone ‘Treasure Chest’ With Inca Offerings Discovered In Lake Titicaca

Underwater archaeologists in Peru have discovered an ancient stone box containing treasures pertaining to an “alternative” sacrificial ritual, they reveal in a study published in Antiquity. The Inca...
Chan Chan – The Largest Mud-Brick City in the World

Chan Chan – Among the Largest Mud-Brick Cities in the World

The Inca civilization is one of the most notable Pre-Columbian civilizations that existed in Peru. Prior to its rapid rise to power, however, there were other prominent civilizations, which today,...
The researchers found surprising examples of genetic continuity of ancient Andean genes to some modern groups. Source: SL-Photography /Adobe Stock

Ancient Andean Genes Reveal DNA Continuity Amid Cultural Clashes

An international research team has conducted the first in-depth, wide-scale study of ancient Andean genes before European contact. The findings, published online May 7 in Cell , reveal early genetic...
Ancient skulls bearing evidence of trephination - a telltale hole surgically cut into the cranium - found in Peru.             Source: University of Miami

Trephination: The Oldest Evidenced Surgery Still in Use Today?

Trephination (known also as trepanning, trepanation, trephining, or making a burr hole), is a surgical procedure, which involves the drilling of a hole in the skull of a living person. Trephination...
View at Machu Picchu, probably the most famous Inca settlement recorded by the big data archaeology model.          Source: fife76 / Public Domain

Big Data Used to Create Comprehensive Map of Inca Settlements

Parker VanValkenburgh, an assistant professor of anthropology, curated a journal issue that explores the opportunities and challenges big data could bring to the field of archaeology. PROVIDENCE, R.I...
Street art illustrating what the Spanish conquistadores did to the Inca during their conquest and the Battle of Cajamarca. Source: shantihesse / Adobe Stock.

The Battle of Cajamarca – The Conquest of the Spanish and the End of the Inca Empire

The Battle of Cajamarca was a battle fought between the Spanish and Inca in 1532. The battle, which is sometimes considered to be an ambush or a skirmish, saw a small band of Spaniards led by the...
The Acropolis Athens (where the cyclopean wall can be found) during sunset.             Source: sea and sun / Adobe stock

The Acropolis' Cyclopean Wall, Sages and Our Deeply Connected Past

The Athenian Acropolis . This rocky citadel sits alone, striking out imposingly against the backdrop of the dry, blue Mediterranean sky. Towering 490 feet (150 meters) over the modern cityscape, the...
The Capture of Atahualpa. Juan B. Lepiani,  (1864-1932)(Public Domain)

God’s Devils: The Men Who Conquered South America

From the moment Christopher Columbus found land previously unknown to Europe in 1492, thousands of men came to the New World seeking their fortunes and for two centuries they explored and conquered...
Main: Amazon jungle in Peru. Source: Christian / Adobe Stock. Inset: A close-up of one of the engravings on the Peruvian monolith. Source: Daniel Fernandez-Davila / Exact Metrology.

2000-Year-Old Monolith Reveals Hidden Symbols in Amazon

A 2000-year-old jungle monolith decorated with circles, spirals and feline fangs has been 3D scanned in its remote Peruvian location. Situated in a remote jungle valley in northern Peru, the carved...
The wooden statue of the Pachacamac idol.  Source: (Sepúlveda M, Pozzi-Escot D, Angeles Falcón R, Bermeo N, Lebon M, Moulhérat C, et al. (2020)/ PlosOne)/ Museo de sitio Pachacamac

Ancient ‘Inca’ Pachacamac Idol Whispers Secrets of Wari Past

An ancient and deeply spiritualized wooden idol of the Andean ‘Earth Maker’, Pachacamac ( Quechua: Pachakamaq ), was once worshiped at the Temple of the Sun; a 30,000-square-meter step pyramid at the...
Overview of Machu Picchu, agriculture terraces and Huayna Picchu peak in the background   Source: davidionut / Adobe stock

Sacrilegious Tourists Defecate at the Sun Temple of Machu Picchu

Six disgusting travelers are being accused of willfully damaging and defecating in the sacred Sun Temple of Machu Picchu and are facing jail time. Lots hopefully. Machu Picchu is in Peru’s top three...
Machu Picchu trash crisis - Tourists at the ancient site in Peru            Source: Rodolfo Pimentel / CC BY-SA 4.0

Trashy Tourism Threatens Machu Picchu’s Future

One of the world’s most famous historic sites is being threatened by a trash crisis. Machu Picchu is at risk because of the waste left by tourists. The local municipality and community in the area...
The location of the Treasure of Lima remains a mystery. Source: fergregory /Adobe Stock

Search for the Treasure of Lima and Wealth Beyond Measure

We all remember how the daring, thrilling novels of pirates, buried treasures, and exciting swashbuckling sparked our imagination when we were kids. The iconic novels such as “Treasure Island” by...
art of the megalithic temple excavation site at Huaca el Toro in Peru. Source: EFE

Water Cult’s Megalithic Temple in Peru was Re-Purposed for Death

A megalithic temple found near the springs of the Zaña Valley river in Peru is an interesting find for several reasons. First, it’s the only known megalithic architecture in the Lambayeque region...
Peru, old Incan road in the canyon Cotahuasi.

Inca Empire Constructed Over 40,000 Kms of Roads and Superhighways in 100 Years

The Inca Empire was a superpower that was centered on the western coast of South America. This prevailing civilization flourished between the 15th and 16th centuries, and at its height of power it...
Robinson Crusoe Island is being searched by Dutch treasure hunter.  Source: JeremyRichards / Adobe Stock

Treasure Hunter Given Go Ahead to Dig for $10 Billion Inca Hoard

A Dutch treasure hunter has clashed with a Chilean politician over the legendary treasure of Robinson Crusoe Island. Robinson Crusoe Island is a remote Chilean island and protected as a Unesco World...
View of the ancient Inca City, Machu Picchu, Peru. Source: alekosa /Adobe Stock

Researchers Claim X Marks the Spot for Machu Picchu

The ancient Inca sanctuary of Machu Picchu is considered one of humanity's greatest architectural achievements. Built in a remote Andean setting atop a narrow ridge high above a precipitous river...
Incas sacrificed little girls and displayed their skulls. Source: dk_patt / Adobe Stock.

Inca Elites Displayed Young Women's Skulls To Gain Power

The Inca Empire was the largest and most extensive ancient society that ever lived in the Americas. However, government of such a vast community is not without its issues. A new report examines...
The mummy Ñusta. Credit: Michigan State University

8-Year-Old ‘Princess’ Mummy Finally Laid to Rest in Her Home Bolivia

An incredibly well-preserved and rare young female mummy is finally being returned from North America to her rightful home in Bolivia . 129 years after being donated to the Michigan State University...
The golden city of Paititi is hidden in the dense Peruvian jungle. Source: marmoset / Adobe stock

The Inkarri and the Golden City of Paititi: The Myths Born from Blood and Greed

On August 29, 1533, the Incan King Atahualpa , who only ruled for one single year, was ordered by Francisco Pizarro (1471-1541) to be strangled to death by a garrot. This single act martyred...
Kuelap, Peru - Ancient Fortress of the Cloud Warriors

Kuelap, Peru - Ancient Fortress of the Cloud Warriors

Built by the Chachapoyas, the fortified citadel of Kuelap was home to the Warriors of the Cloud in Peru before they were conquered by invaders. Massive stone walls and hundreds of ruins stand as a...
The Ruins of Quilmes, Argentina

Quilmes Ruins, Sacred Place of Diaguita People

Argentina is a vast country revered for its many natural wonders and beautiful scenery. Less well-known, however, are its historic sites. In fact, some of the most important pre-Columbian ruins, such...
The ruins of León Viejo. Source: CC BY-SA 3.0

León Viejo, The Lost City of Nicaragua That Emerged From The Ashes After 400 Years

The city of León Viejo has been rediscovered and is now open to visitors. The ruins of the city are very important in the history of the Central American nation as it has some of the oldest Spanish...

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