Gran Pajatén

A hilltop archaeological site of the Chachapoya civilization in the Rio Abiseo National Park, northern Peru, at elevations reaching 2,850 metres. Originally 26 structures were identified in the 1960s, including ceremonial buildings decorated with stone mosaics depicting human figures and high-relief friezes. A 2022-2024 investigation using LiDAR and photogrammetry revealed over 100 additional buildings, confirming Gran Pajaten was part of an articulated network of pre-Hispanic settlements. The Chachapoya inhabited the site from at least the 14th century until Inca conquest in the late 15th century.