LiDAR reveals over 2.5 km of hidden pre-Hispanic roads near Machu Picchu

Archaeologists have identified more than 2.5 kilometres of previously undocumented pre-Hispanic roads near Machu Picchu in Peru's Cusco region, HeritageDaily reported on 10 August 2026. LiDAR — laser pulses fired from aircraft or drones that map the ground through dense canopy — exposed the pathways in cloud forest near the Mandor wall. Their purpose requires fieldwork to determine.