This talk explores the remarkable cultural and natural landscape of Chachapoyas, a remote region in the cloud forests of northern Peru that remains one of the country’s most fascinating yet lesser-known archaeological frontiers. Known as the land of the “Warriors of the Clouds,” the Chachapoya civilization flourished in a dramatic environment between the Andes and the Amazon, leaving behind monumental sites such as the fortress of Kuélap, cliffside sarcophagi at Karajía, and intricate funerary complexes hidden in the forested mountains.

Drawing on archaeological research, landscape interpretation, and living cultural traditions, the lecture examines how the Chachapoya adapted to this unique ecological corridor and developed distinctive architectural, funerary, and artistic traditions. It also explores the region’s extraordinary biodiversity and the enduring cultural practices of local communities - from traditional ceramics and agriculture to rural lifeways that connect present-day inhabitants with their ancestral landscapes.

Through the lens of heritage conservation and cultural storytelling, the presentation reflects on the significance of Chachapoyas as a bridge between the Andean and Amazonian worlds and as an emerging destination for research, conservation, and responsible exploration.

Schedule

7.00pm - Welcome from Claire Baxter Cambridge Alumni Office and Ed Paine, Last Frontiers

7.10pm - Talk from Mariana Watson

7.45pm - Q&A with Mariana, facilitated by Ed Paine

8.00pm - Finish

Please note, this event will be recorded.

This talk is part of the Cambridge Alumni Travel programme, and is organised by Last Frontiers who will be arranging the alumni journey to Northern Peru which will be accompanied by Mariana Watson.