Paititi Research

Paititi Research is an effort of enthusiasts from different countries to discover a mythical Andean city or land of Paititi. The legend of Paititi has been tempting the imagination of chroniclers and adventurers for centuries. Our study of the scarce literature existing on the topic points at the Peruvian cordilleras between Cusco and Madre de Dios regions. To explore this in-completely mapped and heavily forested territory, we developed a geo-information system. It consists of a substantial collection of data, including a digital terrain model, high-resolution aerospace imagery of optical and microwave ranges, and derivative datasets. To find the most probable areas where Paititi can be, we created an original method that produces a so-called Settlement Suitability Map. It showed "suitable" territories, for which we performed a visual interpretation of satellite and aerial imagery. As a result, we revealed patterns and features that could potentially indicate archaeological sites. One of the findings might be Paititi.