Purunllacta, Soloco, Archaeological site in Soloco District, Amazonas Region, Peru

Purunllacta sits on a hilltop in Soloco District, Chachapoyas Province, about 4.5 km from the village of Soloco. Its Chachapoya buildings are laid with limestone over natural rock: a walled entrance on the southwest side has a main doorway roughly one metre wide, with stones stacked like steps. Inside are circular structures with niches, doorways and corbels, plus a rectangular semi-subterranean room with a stone roof.

The Chachapoya people built this fortified settlement before the Inca arrived and took control of the region. Its mountain location made it a key center for trade and local power.

The site's name comes from Quechua words describing settlement and community, reflecting how local people understood this place in ancient times. Walking through the remains today shows how structures were designed for daily living and gatherings.

The site is reachable via trails from the city of Chachapoyas, and local guides are available to lead visitors through the terrain. Bring good walking shoes and supplies, as the paths are steep and mountain weather can change quickly.

At the foot of a large wall that zigzags symmetrically, a semicircular stone structure about 80 cm high is shaped like a cup, wider at the top than at the base, with small windows, a stone roof and a channel running downhill. Nearby lie the grinding stones and mortars once used for food preparation.