…that makes travel on land difficult, and there are few beaches for landing watercraft. The zone is characterized by consistently high rainfall of more than 2000 mm per year and…
Ambiente y Localización
…climate in this period was more or less the same as it is today—Mediterranean with rain in the winter and long, dry summers. Scrubland (matorral) was the main form of…
Environment and Location
…far north, then gives way to the Tamarugal Pampa, with its vast forests of tamarugo, chañar and algarrobo. South of the Loa River is the absolute desert. On the coast,…
Environment and geography
…The Alto Ramírez people settled on the desert coast and subtropical valleys of Chile’s Norte Grande, in places where year-round water sources allowed crops to be grown. Most of…
Settlement pattern
…materials readily available. In the mountains, many of these villages resembled fortresses or pukaras, with defensive walls and high ground locations to control agricultural lands, caravan routes and exterior threats….
Economy
…people invented the “three-beamed raft,” which allowed deep water fishing of species such as eel and houndshark. Miniatures of these craft were laid with these fishermen in their graves. The…
Art
…trapezoidal unkus, wide tunics that were fastened at the waist with a braided sash. Semicircular hats and bags (chuspas) were also typical products of the Arica people. The wooden or…
Environment and Geography
…tribe, while across the Strait of Magellan on Tierra del Fuego the last survivors of this way of life were the Selk`nam or Ona people, and the virtually unknown Haush….
Environment and Location
…of the present day. The predominantly warm, dry climate led to the formation of steppe plant life and open woodland, creating a suitable habitat for a variety of herbivores, including…
Arte
These people were the first to produce ceramics in the region. They crafted thin-walled vessels in simple forms, with dark surfaces that were sometimes polished. Some pieces featured…
Economy
…The hunter-gatherer way of life is characterized by an economy based on hunting, fishing and gathering resources for food and other uses. These groups hunted a variety of species,…
Economy
…was the cactus needle fish hook and the harpoon points they made to hunt different prey. Tumors found in the ear cavities of mummies attributed to this period indicate that…
Art
…The artistic development of the Cabuza culture was marked by the influence of the Tiwanaku Empire. Motifs from the ruling culture became features of different Cabuza artistic forms. Wooden…
Economía
…The Bato had a diversified economy based on their very mobile way of life. On the seashore they exploited marine resources and the plant and animal life around estuaries,…
Social organization
…The introduction of farming practices and the consolidation of village life led to an increasing social complexity in these societies. This new way of life required more social organization…
Economy
…The Chonos belonged to the southern canoeist culture and were nomadic seafarers. Their vessels, called dalcas, were central to their way of life and were made of three planks…
Arte
…and occasional animal motifs. The teeth of sea lions and fox were drilled at the base to make pendants and necklaces. The walls of some caves in the region were…
Environment and Location
…When the first humans arrived in the Americas, the glacial climate of the Pleistocene era was beginning to wane, and in the south of Chile the melting ice left…
Settlement patterns
…ten people. The family traveled with its dogs, weapons and tools, and the leather sheet that was used as a tarp at campsites (tchelo). Contemporary sources also relate that Kawésqar…
Economy
…The Yaghan were one of the Southern-Chilean Canoeist Tribes, nomadic people who lived by hunting, fishing and gathering. Canoes played a key role in their economy and their way…
Organización Social
…Tierra del Fuego’s Isla Grande was divided into haruwen (territories), each occupied by an extended family group. Selk’nam society was organized around four basic social institutions. The first was…
Economy
…who hunted these camelids with bow and arrow and also with bolas. This activity was exclusive to the male members of the group, although both men and women fished and…
Art
…smelting was introduced. The Mapuche combined these new techniques with their knowledge of metal sheetwork, traditionally used to manufacture copper jewelry. Over time, silver Mapuche jewelry became a central feature…
Settlement pattern
…their agricultural fields. The central dwelling of the village was the hare paenga, shaped like an inverted boat and measuring ten to fifteen meters long and two meters wide. Its…