Sillustani

Sillustani is a pre-Inca burial complex on a scenic plateau near Lake Umayo in the Puno region of Peru, featuring approximately 90 chullpas (cylindrical stone funerary towers). Built by the Qulla (Colla) people, a Puquina-speaking civilization later conquered by the Inca in the 15th century, the towers reach up to 12 metres in height using precisely stacked stones without mortar. Small openings face east toward the sunrise, reflecting the builders' reverence for the Sun God. Burials contained multiple individuals in seated or flexed positions, accompanied by textiles, ceramics, and offerings of gold, silver, or bronze.