Archaeologists utilizing high-resolution LiDAR technology have identified a massive, previously unknown urban complex belonging to the Chimú Empire in the high-altitude regions of the La Libertad department. Unlike the well-documented coastal mud-brick capitals, this site features extensive stone-walled terraces and defensive fortifications that suggest the Chimú maintained a sophisticated and militarized presence in the Andean foothills to control vital water sources.
The mapping reveals over 3,000 individual structures, including a central plaza, tiered granaries, and a complex irrigation system that channeled glacial meltwater to agricultural zones. This discovery challenges the traditional view of the Chimú as purely a coastal civilization and highlights their advanced engineering capabilities in rugged, high-altitude environments during the 9th century.