New finds in Kuélap offer archaeologists an unusual glimpse into the religious world of the people who used the important complex in northern Peru. Small stone figures, known as Illas, were found during excavations. Some depict animals with clearly recognizable female sexual characteristics.
The discovery was announced by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture at the end of August 2026. Archaeologists see similarities with so-called Conopas or Illas Conopas. Such small stone figures are particularly well known from the Inca period and were associated with fertility, prosperity, and protection, among other things.
For Kuélap, the discovery opens up new research questions. Scientists want to find out how local religious ideas intertwined with traditions that arrived in the region during the expansion of the Inca Empire.
What was found in Kuélap?
During current archaeological excavations in Kuélap, several small stone sculptures were unearthed. The Peruvian Ministry of Culture refers to the pieces as Illas. Particularly striking are some animal representations. They possess female sexual characteristics, which, according to researchers, could be related to ideas of fertility and reproduction.
The shape of the pieces also allows for a comparison with Conopas or Illas Conopas. These are small ritual figures, often depicting camelids. Such objects are particularly well documented for the Inca period.
They could be used in rituals associated with animal reproduction, good harvests, and the well-being of a family. However, the exact meaning of the figures now found in Kuélap has not yet been definitively clarified.
Small figures with great significance
Conopas were more than simple animal representations. Some known examples have small depressions in which offerings could be placed. Documented examples include camelid fat, coca leaves, or chicha.
Within a household, such objects could serve a protective function. They were associated with ideas of fertility, abundance, balance, and family well-being. For the people of the Andes, agriculture and animal husbandry were of existential importance.
Therefore, fertility by no means referred exclusively to humans. Healthy livestock, sufficient harvests, and the provision for a family were directly linked. This is precisely why the female characteristics of some new figures are interesting for archaeologists.
New finds in Kuélap raise questions about the Inca period
The new finds in Kuélap are also significant for research into the Inca presence in Amazonas. Kuélap was built much earlier and is closely associated with the Chachapoya culture. However, the archaeological complex also shows use during the Late Horizon.
This period is associated with the expansion of the Inca Empire into the region. This raises a crucial question: Do the found Illas belong to an existing local tradition or are they more strongly linked to Inca influence?
A mixture of different ideas is also conceivable. Researchers therefore want to investigate whether older traditions were continued, new practices adopted, or existing rituals changed.
Local traditions meet the Inca Empire
The expansion of the Inca did not automatically mean that existing religious ideas disappeared. In various regions, local traditions could continue to exist while also incorporating new elements. The Illas of Kuélap could provide clues in the future as to how this process unfolded in the Chachapoya territory.
From other regions of the Inca Empire, Conopas are known as part of religious practices. Whether the figures from Kuélap fulfilled exactly the same function cannot yet be said with certainty. Further investigations must first determine their archaeological context and their chronological classification more precisely.
Kuélap tells more than the story of its walls
Kuélap is primarily associated by visitors with its massive walls and characteristic round buildings. For archaeologists, however, small objects often tell as much about a society as monumental architecture.
Buildings show how people planned, organized, and used spaces. Personal and ritual objects, on the other hand, can provide clues about beliefs and daily life. The new stone figures can help to understand the role that animals, fertility, harvests, and family protection played in religious life.
This expands the image of Kuélap. The complex appears not only as an impressive architectural center. It was also a place where people lived and performed religious acts.
Kuélap yields more significant finds in 2026
The Illas are not the only important archaeological find announced from Kuélap in 2026. Already in May, the Ministry of Culture reported on a burial structure that was investigated in the area of accesses 1 and 2.
Archaeologists found human remains of five individuals there. Four were adults, one person was a child. Various ceremonial and everyday objects were associated with the burials.
These included a Paccha in the regional Inca style and an object carved from bone related to the Chachapoya culture. These findings underscore how complex the later use of Kuélap must have been. The new Illas complement these insights with religious ideas surrounding fertility and protection.
Why the find is important for Northern Peru
Kuélap is one of the most important archaeological sites in northern Peru. The complex is located in the province of Luya in the Department of Amazonas and covers approximately 136 hectares. Internationally, Kuélap is often overshadowed by the famous Inca sites in southern Peru.
Ongoing research shows how much potential the archaeology of northern Peru still possesses. Every new find can contribute to reconstructing the history of the Chachapoya and their relationships with other Andean societies more accurately.
Therefore, the Illas are not just a few small stone figures. They could help in the long term to explain how people in Kuélap understood religious ideas and how these changed during the Inca presence.
Further investigations are expected to provide answers
Archaeologists are still at the beginning of their evaluation. It will be particularly important to date the figures more precisely and to investigate their archaeological context. Only then can it be assessed when and in what context they were used.
The striking female characteristics of the animal figures will also be further investigated. The connection with fertility and reproduction is obvious and is explicitly mentioned by the Ministry of Culture as a research approach. However, a final interpretation would be premature at this point.
Further investigations could provide new insights into the religious and social development of Kuélap.
Frequently asked questions about the new find in Kuélap
What was found in Kuélap?
Archaeologists have found small stone sculptures known as Illas. Some depict animals with female sexual characteristics.
What are Illas or Conopas?
These are small ritual objects, often made of stone. Comparable Conopas are particularly well known from the Inca period and were associated with fertility, prosperity, harvests, and the protection of livestock, among other things.
Why are the female characteristics important?
The characteristics could indicate ideas of fertility and reproduction. The specific meaning of the figures in Kuélap is still being investigated.
Do the figures come from the Chachapoya or the Inca?
This has not yet been definitively clarified. Kuélap also shows use during the Late Horizon, when the Inca Empire was present in the region.
Why is the find significant for Kuélap?
The figures provide clues about religious beliefs and rituals. This allows archaeologists to better study not only the architecture but also the daily life and belief system of the people in Kuélap.
Sources
Ministerio de Cultura del Perú / Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura Amazonas
Agencia Peruana de Noticias Andina, August 31, 2026
Diario Oficial El Peruano, August 31 and September 1, 2026