New LiDAR mapping of the Lambayeque Valley has identified a previously unknown network of man-made islands and elevated causeways submerged in seasonal wetlands. Built by the Moche civilization between 400 and 600 CE, these structures formed a 'floating' agricultural system designed to mitigate the extreme weather fluctuations caused by El Niño events.
The mapping reveals over 500 individual rectangular plots connected by a sophisticated system of sluice gates. This technological marvel allowed the Moche to maintain intensive aquaculture and maize production year-round, proving their engineering was far more adaptable to climate instability than previously understood.