The Chincana Project is Punchao’s current flagship excavation, focused on investigating the legendary tunnel systems believed to lie beneath Cusco.
Referenced for centuries in oral tradition and Spanish chronicles, the chincanas—from the Quechua word meaning “the place where one gets lost”—have long been sealed off and unexplored.
In 2025, Punchao received formal excavation permits from Peru’s Ministry of Culture to begin work at a suspected entrance at Sacsayhuamán. Led by archaeologists Jorge Calero and Mildred Fernández, and supported by the Athanatos Foundation, the team has uncovered ceramic fragments with Incan iconography and identified underground anomalies using ground-penetrating radar.
This is the first formal excavation of the chincanas using modern archaeological methods. The work is guided by cultural sensitivity, scientific rigor, and a commitment to ethical stewardship.
Coming Soon: Hatun Vilcabamba
This city was considered the last refuge of the Incas. Soon we will have the opportunity to begin an exciting new excavation.
Coming Soon: The Lost Incan City of Paititi
Deep in the Amazon jungle we have promising signs and traces of a lost city.
