LiDAR scans reveal buried road and terraces near Machu Picchu citadel

City/town/settlement1000 - 1500 AD
Major Discoveries at Machu Picchu: LiDAR finds Ruins & Buried Highway
Source: Major Discoveries at Machu Picchu: LiDAR finds Ruins & Buried Highway by Luke Caverns

Site mentioned

📄 Machu Picchu🌍 Show on the globe

LiDAR survey inside Machu Picchu National Archaeological Park uncovered roads, platforms, and terraces hidden beneath dense vegetation 🌿 The laser technology penetrates cloud forest canopy to reveal terrain details normally invisible. These findings could shed light on pre-conquest movement through the mountainous territory.

Key facts

  • LiDAR survey conducted within Machu Picchu National Archaeological Park
  • LiDAR works by firing laser pulses at the ground and measuring reflected signals to create terrain models
  • Scans revealed roads, possible platforms, and terraces beneath the cloud forest vegetation
  • Discovery could provide evidence about pre-conquest movement through the mountainous territory
  • Dense vegetation has long made conventional archaeological exploration challenging in the area

More about Machu Picchu

Sources

A new discovery at Machu Picchuen.uw.edu.pl
The discovery is the result of research carried out within the Machu Picchu National Archaeological Park using LiDAR remote sensing ...
Machu Picchu LiDAR Discovery Reveals Ancient Pathsfertur-travel.com
Machu Picchu LiDAR discovery maps 2.5 km of pre-Hispanic paths near Mandor, revealing a wider archaeological landscape still under study.
Hidden world beneath Machu Picchu revealed by laser ...heritagedaily.com
LiDAR works by firing laser pulses towards the ground and measuring the reflected signals. Researchers can process the resulting data to create ...
LiDAR Reveals Hidden Inca Road Near Machu Picchu ...arkeonews.net
LiDAR has revealed more than 2.5 km of hidden Inca roads near Machu Picchu, including a route that may have led toward a sacred mountain.
(PDF) UAV LiDAR Mapping in the Historic Sanctuary of ...researchgate.net
Besides the well-recognized central part, the National Archaeological Park of achupicchu encompasses approximately 60 lesser-known sites.
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