Sarcophagi of KarajiA

Even though Karajia is much smaller than Kuelap, the stylized human figures with expressive faces is the iconic image of the Chachapoyas area.  These statues look east from their narrow ledge on a cliff some 25m above the path below.  Inside are human remains and offerings. These sarcophagi are so inaccessible only a few archaeologists and TV crews have got close to them and they therefore remain mostly intact and only degraded due to the centuries they have stayed looking out across the valley.

The Sarcophagi of Karajia are not the only ones in the Chachapoyas area, but they are the easiest to see and get close to. On the western bank of the Utcubamba River north of Kuelap many other sarcophagi of varying sizes have been recorded. When you visit Karajia you will also be able to see three other types of burial close to the main group.