A couple of months ago we reported on an incredible discovery deep in the jungles of Ecuador – the remains of a massive 260 foot tall by 260 foot wide structure, made up of hundreds of two-tonne blocks, which author and researcher Bruce Fenton called ‘the Lost City of Giants ’, so named for the large giant-sized tools that were found in the vicinity, as well as the local legends that speak of a race of giant humans who once inhabited the region.

The vast structure is a wall, sloping at a 60 degree angle, with a flat area at the top where many artefacts have been found. "It looks like a paved wall, an ancient street or plaza with a 60 degrees angle, perhaps the roof of a larger structure. Many of the stones were perfectly aligned, have sharp edges and seemed to have been sculpted by human hands,” said Mr Duverneuil, who undertook an expedition to the site in April and May.

Now the intrepid explorers who stumbled across the amazing structure have cautiously begun to reveal more details of their finding , including the discovery of a number of large stones with circular holes cut right through the middle, which provide further evidence with which to refute claims that the large pyramid-like structure could simply be a natural formation. And it appears that the finding may be bigger than they first imagined – the discovery could solve many of South America’s mysteries and lead to one of the world’s most sought-after treasures .

Some of the multinational team of researchers believe the structure could be the mausoleum of Atahualpa, the last Incan emperor who was captured by the Spanish, and who is said to have been buried with a great hoard of gold, which had been amassed by his followers to pay (unsuccessfully) for his release. The search for the tomb and the riches has been one of the world's greatest historical treasure hunts, inspiring many expeditions, but none successful so far.

However, others, including Bruce Fenton, an Ecuador-based Briton and researcher into the region’s indigenous cultures, believe the newly discovered site could date back much earlier, to an unknown pre-Inca culture. The belief comes from the discovery of approximately thirty rudimentary tools found there, and the degree of erosion seen on the large stone blocks.

The Ecuadorean government has been told of the discovery and an official expedition by archaeologists and paleontologists is expected to take place. However, investigation into the site is challenged by dangerous conditions – it takes around eight hours from the nearest town to trek through dense and mountainous jungle, and one route to it is known for the risks posed by attacks of Africanised ‘killer’ bees.

By April Holloway