The Lost City of the Cloud Peple

The Lost City of the Cloud Peple

In 2008, archaeologists discovered a lost city carved into the Andes Mountains by the mysterious Chachapoya tribe. Little is known about the Chachapoyas, an ancient, white-skinned civilisation wiped out by disease and war. It is thought that this settlement might finally help historians unlock the secrets of this legendary tribe.

The Chachapoyas, also called the ‘Warriors of Clouds’, was a culture of the Andes living in the cloud forests of the Amazonas Region of Peru. They were one of the many nations ruled by the Incas. The Inca Empire conquered their civilization in the second half of the 15th century. They didn’t have a good relationship with the Incas and they resisted the Inca troops constantly. As the Chachapoyas rebelled against them, the Inca emperor sent messengers to negotiate peace. However, the Chachapoyas punished the messengers and threatened to kill them. Upon this event, the Incas decided to attack them and eventually the Chachapoyas were defeated. Small rebellions continued for many years.

The name Chachapoya was given to this culture by the Incas. The meaning of the word Chachapoya may be derived from the word sach’a phuyu meaning ‘cloud forest’. The Chachapoyas are described as white, blond-haired and the most beautiful people of their time.

To try to understand the Chachapoyan culture, we have to rely on archaeological evidence from ruins, pottery, tombs and other artefacts. Archeologists believe that Chachapoyan buildings were constructed over 1000 years ago. The structures were sometimes decorated with symbolic figures. For example, the fortress of Kuelap and the ruins of Cerro Olán both have these cultural decorations. Chachapoyan handmade ceramics did not reach the technological level of other cultures. As for the textile art, clothes were generally colored in red.

By the 18th century, the Chachapoyas people had been devastated; however, they remain a distinct race within the indigenous people of modern Peru.