LIMA – The first stages of building a Marriott hotel in the Peruvian city of Cuzco brought to light the unforeseen archaeological discovery of several ancient Inca walls, the daily El Comercio said on Saturday.

Though ancient chronicles written during the Spanish conquest say that the place where the construction is taking place, near the Plaza de Armas of what was once the capital of the Inca Empire, was an agricultural area, the discovery makes it necessary to reconsider the city map of 15th-century Cuzco.

According to the director of archaeological monitoring for the hotel construction, Irwin Ferrandiz, the structures found are made up of polygonal stones with all the characteristics of an Inca enclosure.

“What is odd is that research shows this sector as being used for agriculture – nonetheless, we see that it was occupied and formed part of the Inca urban layout,” Ferrandiz said in a statement quoted by El Comercio. A few meters (yards) away the top of another wall was found, so new discoveries may be expected as contruction proceeds on the first Marriott hotel in the touristic city of Cuzco.

Together with the two walls were found 25 kilos (55 pounds) of Inca ceramics with polychrome decorations, as well as bone fragments, coal and the remains of Inca flooring.

According to hotel architect Ana Maria Enriquez, the ruins will be recovered and incorporated into the hotel construction, something already considered in the original design, since a similar wall was previously found in the area.

“The three structures will be displayed and will form part of the suites planned for in the design,” Enriquez said.