  Pablo Etchevers (2) Jorge González (1)
It is known and it can be proved by your own sight that the ancient mummies from the chinchorro culture (for many people, the most ancient culture in the world) are found there. Arica and its surroundings are ideal to throw oneself into adventure and discover the past of the region.
Various figures are found to both sides of the road on the way to the city. After leaving some sculptures dating from the last few years (the ”Presencias Tutelares” are part of them), the geoglyphs (figures made on the hillsides), petroglyphs (carvings made on rocks) and pictograms (cave paintings) give account of the centuries of wisdom and codes dominated by the inhabitants of those latitudes. |
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Some of these works seem to have been created even to make contact with creatures from other planets, as they point at the sky giving evidence of the customs and objects that belong to ours. There are those who assert that, on the contrary, these drawings refer to rituals celebrated in honor of certain gods, amongst them the Sun, from whom the local dwellers requested rain, good crops and prosperous hunting. |
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Oasis in the Valleys
The Valley of Azapa is one of the most important archeological sites in the world. Here it is possible to prove the ancient existence of the human race. In addition to a great amount of geoglyphs, in one of its mountains, the Museum of Azapa treasures the two oldest mummies in the world, found in the surroundings of this small oasis.
The Valley of Lluta, located to the North of Arica, keeps a historical legacy that makes it essential. In addition to the typical fauna of the Andes and the high plateau, this oasis contains vestiges of old cultures mingled with an ecological village with energetic houses of circular shape called “truli”.
Following the road, Putre, one of the northernmost cities in the country, is reached. Here, the sea has lost its regulating strength before the high plateau weather which, in addition to giving origin to a barren relief, turns colder and colder until it reaches neighboring Bolivia. |
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Welcome Chile - Outings in Arica
© 2007-2008 Total or partial reproduction forbidden. Derechos de Autor 675243 Ley 11723
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In the city, various tourist operators sell archeological tours to the local valleys. In case visitors resolve to visit them on their own, it is recommended not to take anything you see, neither as a souvenir nor as a trophy; an honorable way to preserve what is part of world heritage.
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