Newly discovered colonial-era documents in Cusco are opening an intriguing new chapter in the history of Machu Picchu and raising fresh questions about the long-standing idea that the Inca citadel was once a “lost city.”
Researchers at the Regional Archive of Cusco recently identified handwritten manuscripts dated 1544 and 1545 that include references to “Picchu”, a name specialists believe refers directly to Machu Picchu. The documents were found in centuries-old records known as libros becerro, historic manuscripts that preserve administrative and territorial information from the early colonial period. According to the research team, these may be some of the earliest written references to the site ever discovered.
The findings suggest that Machu Picchu may have remained known, inhabited, or administratively recognized during the first decades after the Spanish arrival in the Andes. Archive specialists say some of the texts mention local leaders, territorial boundaries, and details about who managed the area at the time, offering a very different perspective from the popular narrative that the citadel disappeared from memory for centuries.
The documents are now expected to undergo further analysis and digital preservation in collaboration with international researchers. For history lovers and cultural travelers, the discovery adds even more depth to the story of Machu Picchu, showing that one of Peru’s most iconic places may still have many secrets left to reveal.
Source: https://www.infobae.com/peru/2026/05/11/manuscritos-del-siglo-xvi-revelarian-que-machu-picchu-nunca-estuvo-perdida-hallan-referencias-de-1544-y-1545-en-cusco/