Gran Paititi — Manú Lidar Block Pusharo East Ridge (Madre de Dios)
Gran Paititi East Ridge · Pusharo Paititi East · Manú Gran Paititi lidar block
Hypothetical Late Horizon (?) or Late Intermediate ambiguous Pre-Columbian hypothesis·Hypothetical pre-Inca / Inca refuge re-projection (unvalidated)·🇵🇪 Madre de Dios, Manú, Pusharo east ridge, Alerta-Rio Tavara divide, Peru
About
About Gran Paititi — Manú Lidar Block Pusharo East Ridge (Madre de Dios)
Second Gran Paititi variant on east ridge of Pusharo basin separating Alerta and Manú drainages, where 2021 SERNANP-requested lidar snippet showed 2 km rectilinear terrace edge 0.8 m high under forest canopy, geometrically continuous and unlike natural sandstone bedding. Promoted by Jamin 2015 as 'pyramids of Paititi' (3 mounds 12 m diameter). No Inca ceramics in 2021 ground check — only charcoal lens 1400 CE but could be hill burn. Hypothesis contested: terraces may be ancient raised-field levees or landslide benches. Treated hypothetical pending excavation.
Why it mattersTests Paititi pyramid claims: lidar rectilinearity proves geometry but not coursed stone; third 'mound' is termite-nest hill; clarifies Manú ridge geoarchaeology pitfalls.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Is 2 km edge hill terrace vs landslide bench?
- 02Are 12 m mounds anthropogenic vs termitary?
Theories
- 01Alerta lever may be raised-field levee for Motacú palm drainage, not city walls
- 02If cultural, would be pre-Inca agrarian not Inca refuge
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- hypothetical 1400 CE charcoal lens if cultural
- Period
- Hypothetical Late Horizon (?) or Late Intermediate ambiguous Pre-Columbian hypothesis
- Culture
- Hypothetical pre-Inca / Inca refuge re-projection (unvalidated)
- Purpose
- Gran Paititi refuge hypothesis second ridge variant — levee or pyramid claim
- Abandoned
- unknown abandonment
- Rediscovered
- No INI excavation; 2021 ground truth by SERNANP–Universidad San Antonio Abad
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c.1400 CE
Charcoal lens at ridge — if cultural, terrace building; if natural, forest burn
2015
Jamin promotes 3-mound pyramid of Paititi on Alerta ridge
2021
SERNANP lidar + ground truth finds 2 km terrace edge but no ceramics
On the ground
Structures & features
12.7800° S · 71.2500° W · 520 m · 3 mapped features
- 2 km Rectilinear Terrace Edge (0.8 m)terraceContinuous rectilinear terrace bank 0.8 m high traced 2 km under canopy on east ridge12.7810° S · 71.2510° W
- Three Circular Mounds (12 m dia.)moundThree earth mounds 12 m × 3 m promoted as pyramids — under vegetation12.7790° S · 71.2490° W
- Charcoal Lens Test Pit (1400 CE)sampleTest pit with charcoal lens at 1400 CE but no sherds — hill burn if natural12.7800° S · 71.2500° W