New technology has helped researchers find evidence of Inca Trail stretch, terraces and platforms that might be hidden under the vegetation surrounding Machu Picchu —a great step-forward for archaeological research.
Announcement was made by Roland Fletcher, Professor of Theoretical and World Archaeology at the University of Sydney, who used Lidar technology to discover Incan buildings on the hillside of the citadel through aerial and tridimensional images.
“This modern technology has helped capture images that might provide evidence of paths crossing the landscape, other terraces; this evidence suggests hidden constructions,” Fletcher said in a speech at the Culture Ministry headquarters as he shared the firsts results of his investigation.
This revolutionary technology makes it possible to remove vegetation from pictures, thereby unveiling constructions that have never been reported before.
According to the Australian professor, the images portray not only buildings, but 3D captures of the landscape, including previous slides and erosions.
This opens up a new range of possibilities in terms of research, since Machu Picchu contains unreachable areas that cannot be studied, but further evidence can be easily gathered now.
“The images depict additional trails. There is some evidence of terraces and forms that are likely to be constructions or stairways, which is useful information to continue the research,” he pointed out.
He went on to add it is the turn for investigators to conduct a fieldwork using such information. They have to head to the area to unveil what is hidden by the lush vegetation.
(END) JCR/MAO/RMB/MVB
Published: 7/20/2016