Pumpu, Archaeological site in central highlands, Peru

Pumpu is an Inca administrative center on the high Andean puna of Pasco, at about 4,080 meters above sea level. The site comprises enclosures, rooms, colcas (storehouses), kallancas, plazas, patios, and a central ushnu built with pirca masonry. The Yawarmayo River crosses the city, dividing it into hanan and hurin sectors.

The site developed during the Inca period as a major administrative hub for the Tawantinsuyu empire. It served as a key center for managing and distributing resources across the highland region.

The site reveals how camelid herding shaped daily life and work for the people who lived here. Archaeological findings show evidence of meat processing and textile production that were central to their economy and survival.

Pumpu lies at about 4,080 m on the Bombón plateau beside the Upamayo river, near lake Junín and the Huayllay stone forest, reached from the Pasco highlands. The altitude and cold puna climate call for warm layers and time to acclimatise. The Yawarmayo divides the site into high and low halves, and a modern Peruvian aqueduct crosses it.

Excavations uncovered large quantities of llama bone remains scattered throughout the site, revealing the true focus of daily activity here. The sheer volume of these finds suggests animal herding was far more central to daily life than administrative work.