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GENERAL
DESCRIPTION
Known as the archaelogical capital of Chile, this oasis of human
and geoghrafic contrast is the principal center of one the most
amazing cultures of the North of Chile, the Atacamenian Culture
o Likan Antay.
San Pedro de Atacama is located at the mouth of San Pedro river
that drain in the north part of the great Salt Flat of Atacama
at 2400 m.o.s.l. In front, in an incredible view, is the magestuosity
of Los Andes mountain range, that inmediately you can observe
Licancabur Volcano of almost 6000 meters.
San Pedro is surrounded by 15 agricultural communities, Ayllus,
that are conected by irrigated channels with water from San
Pedro and Vilama rivers, that comes from the mountain range
of Los Andes. That is why they can do agricultural activities,
principal resource of living for the most of the native people,
atacamenian. In San Pedro de Atacama
you have almost 5000 persons, that the most are natives from
the zone and keep till today a deep thinking of community
live. Each community or ayllu has their own authorities and
all come together in front of the council that are independant
from the Municipality of San Pedro, founded on November 24th,
1980.
San Pedro de Atacama, the Eastern Island, the Patagonia and
the Antartica are landmark of Chile international values of
exeptional tourism interest. |
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MAP
OF
SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
Ayllus, Agricultural Communities |
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HISTORICAL
SUMMARY
Earlier intermediate period
400 b.c. to 300 a.c.
Is presume that in the formation of San Pedro de Atacama culture
participate at least three differents cultures current: one
local, one from the jungle of Argentina and another one from
the highlands, altiplano, what is today Bolivia. Tulor village
(400 b.c. to 500 a.c.) is the first settle down in the zone
of this period. Their houses are made of mud, small cultivation
(corn, beans, pumpkin, red pepper), the llama already domesticated,
and at the end of the period they had a traffic of products
with the argentinian northeast, the highlands and the pacific
coasts, also the population increase and new ayllus or communities
was created (Quitor, Sequitor, Larache).
Medium period 400 to 1000 a.c.
It was a period marked by the great influence of the Tiwanaku
in the Andes, specially in San Pedro de Atacama for been an
strategichal geographic point in all the traffic of species
that existed between the hihgland (altiplano), the pacific and
the argentinian jungle through the llamas caravans. But also
was marked by big drought, that meaned a great restoration of
the culture of San Pedro. Is here when was created the complex
net of irrigated channels.
Latest intermediate period 1000 to
1470 a.c.
The beginning is marked by the missing of the Tiwanaku empire
caused by the great climate changing at the Andes. Is here when
you observe the coming of the Pukaras, real fortresses builded
up in the slope of the hills for to protect themselves of possible
comflict cause by the enrich of some sirs. Quitor Pukara is
the most importanrt in the zone.
Latest period 1470 to 1535 a.c.
Marked by the domination on the Inca empire and the creation
of Catarpe administrative Center in San Pedro de Atacama.
Spanish domination 1540
Diego de Almagro and Francisco de Aguirre in 1536 prepared the
way for the arrival of Pedro de Valdivia in 1540, submiting
the natives and the extermination of the Incas, for been this
a warrior village. The battle at Quitor Pukara was the more
representative. At this moment was baptized as Atacama the Great
and soon had a parish.
The last 500 years
In 1825 born the bolivian state and with this the end of the
spanish domination (Independence). Between 1830 to 1870, San
Pedro de Atacama was dedicated to the transportation of merchandise,
between Cobija Port in the Pacific and Salta Argentina, because
of the great prosperity by the minning in the desert of Atacama.
In 1870 San Pedro de Atacama was dedicated to the job at a silver
mine, Caracoles. In 1879 it was the beginning of the Pacific
War. After the territory conflicts between Chile and the Confederation
Peru Bolivia. San Pedro de Atacama will stay under the administration
of the chilean state in 1899. In 1911 was created the first
fine copper bar, that marked the beginning of the copper minning
for the atacamenian lifes.
In 1955 arrived to San Pedro de Atacama the jesuit Gustavo Le
Paige, who was pioneer in the archaeological studies about the
atacamamenian culture. In 1958 found the museum in San Pedro
de Atacama.
The last 20 years
The native population of San Pedro de Atacama had done important
services in the duty of copper mines and lithium ones at the
Salf Flat of Atacama. In 1980 born the municipality of San Pedro
de Atacama and is independant from Calama city. San Pedro de
Atacama turn now in to the tourism center of the zone. |
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