As part of the same spread of ideas that brought ceramic making to the El Molle and Llolleo peoples, the lives of hunter-gatherers in the south underwent a transformation that would lead to the emergence of the “Pitrén” culture. Here, ceramic making went hand in hand with the introduction of small-scale horticulture, especially corn and potato crops, though these groups would continue to rely heavily on hunting and gathering wild resources from the forests, lakes and rivers of this region. Most of the evidence we have of these groups comes fromcemeteries, including one discovered during the construction of a highway bypass in the city of Temuco.
According to this evidence, around 1100 A.D. the Pitrén gave way to the El Vergel culture in the northern part of the region, while in the far south the former remained until 1400 A.D. This is most likely why it is possible to discern elements reminiscent of the Pitrén in the Mapuche culture, especially in its ceramic tradition.