Paititi — Upper Madre de Dios Terraces at Salvación Ridge (Manu East)
Paititi Salvación Terraces · Manu Upper Madre de Dios Lost Terraces · Paititi Madre de Dios East
Hypothetical Inka Late Horizon to Colonial refuge·Hypothetical Inka / Anti·🇵🇪 Madre de Dios / Cusco, Manú National Park, Upper Madre de Dios basin Salvación ridge (Pusharo-Callanga corridor), Peru
About
About Paititi — Upper Madre de Dios Terraces at Salvación Ridge (Manu East)
Hypothetical upper Madre de Dios terrace complex on Salvación Ridge between Pusharo and Callanga on the eastern Andean flank in Manú National Park, where satellite enthusiasts claim 2 km of stepped terraces and rectangular plazas hidden under montane forest near the Inka road to Pantiacolla. Distinct from Pusharo ridge western terraces, Paratoari pyramids and Gran Paititi lagoon lidar block in wave-6, this Salvación sector posits 18 terraces 4 m high each, 60×40 m plaza rectangle and Inka sherd scatter.
Field checks 2016 SERNANP found terraces are natural colluvial benches with landslide scarps; 2019 Cusco Ministry test pits recovered only modern Matsigenka charcoal and no coursed stone. Plaza rectangle is palm swamp clearing aligned to 12° magnetic declination. Sherds are modern corrugated ware.
Why it mattersSalvación terraces test Paititi dispersal model along Manú corridor; illustrates landslide bench mimicry of Inka terraces in cloud forest.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether any bench hides Inka reoccupation of Anti
- 02Attribution of charcoal to modern swidden?
Theories
- 01Benches are Quaternary landslides from Apu Kañajhuay fault
- 02Palm plaza is oxbow drainage not Inka
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- undated hypothetical; claimed Inka refuge 1536–1572 CE
- Period
- Hypothetical Inka Late Horizon to Colonial refuge
- Culture
- Hypothetical Inka / Anti
- Builders
- Unverified Inka refuge
- Purpose
- Hypothetical Paititi gold city terrace agriculture
- Abandoned
- 1572 Vilcabamba fall refuge transfer
- Rediscovered
- 2010s satellite claims; Salvación field check 2016
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
1536–1572 CE claimed
Inka refuge builds Paititi terraces at Salvación (unverified)
1980s
Vilcabamba-Paititi corridor satellite enthusiasm
2016–2019
SERNANP + Ministry pits: natural benches, no diagnostics
On the ground
Structures & features
12.8450° S · 71.3750° W · 850 m · 3 mapped features
Hypothetical Terraced Slope (18 terraces, 2 km)
terrace18 claimed terraces 4 m high along Salvación Ridge colluvial slope
12.8455° S · 71.3755° WRectangular Plaza Clearing (60×40 m)
plaza60×40 m palm clearing claimed as plaza
12.8450° S · 71.3750° WInka Sherd Scatter Claim
scatterClaimed Inka sherd locus, now modern corrugated ware
12.8445° S · 71.3752° W