Inca roads and structures discovered near Machu Picchu

A Polish-Peruvian archaeological team has discovered over 2.5 kilometers of previously unknown Inca roads, along with terraces, platforms, and circular structures near Machu Picchu. The findings were located on the slopes of Yanantin Mountain in the eastern Andes.

The structures were hidden beneath dense tropical rainforest, making them nearly invisible to traditional archaeological methods. To overcome the difficult topography and thick vegetation, researchers utilized LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology via drone scanning to penetrate the canopy.

The research is conducted by the Andean Research Centre of the University of Warsaw in collaboration with the Regional Directorate of Culture in Cusco and the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary National Park. This discovery highlights that the UNESCO World Heritage site still contains significant undiscovered historical elements despite over a century of archaeological work in the region.