The Cloud People of Peru, also known as the Chachapoyas are still a real mystery to the history of South America, due to the fact they had no form of writing, were conquered by the Inca, who were then in turn conquered by the Spanish, but there is little doubt that this lost civilisation was important and powerful.

Until archaeological excavations, some of which were very recent, all we really had were a few mentions of this lost culture by Spanish chroniclers, which made claims, not just about their struggles with the Inca, but also their ethnicity. Were the Chachapoyas white-skinned and fair haired? Or is this just some Spanish propaganda, fanciful details without merit?

The Chachapoya culture flourished around 800 AD, predating the Inca by over six centuries. They lived in the Northern highlands of Peru and their population may have peaked at half a million, a culture with powerful shamen and a tough fighting ethos.

The Chachapoya are probably most famous for their mausoleums and sarcophagi, which were built into rock faces. Hundreds of mummies have been found, but it’s at the Karijia archaeological site where we find the iconic standing sarcophagi with human faces and human skulls on top. They still look down from the isolated hillsides today, a haunting yet spectacular reminder of the ancient Peruvian people.

Watch this video to learn more about this fascinating lost culture of Ancient Peru and see if you can see any links to other civilisations around the world.

All images are taken from Google Images for educational purposes only. Please subscribe to Ancient Architects, Like the video and please leave a comment below.

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