It is estimated that about 11.000 years ago the first towns of the north of Chile were founded, they chose the "puna"region and the gorges of the Atacama desert.

The "atacameños" (people from Atacama) were the founders of the so called "San Pedro Culture" , they established themselves in the Loa's basing and in all the oases of the Atacama's desert.

They were the first farmers and therefore the first sedentary group of the country. As the cultivation zone was very little, they constructed terraces in the mountain slopes which were artificially irrigated and fertilized with Llama's guano. Their main economic activity was therefore the agriculture , standing out the cultivation of seven corn varieties, quinoa, beans, Indian fig, cotton, pumpkins, potatoes, dry beans, etc.

This people also raised Llamas and Alpacas and made use of the meat and wool of these animals. Llamas and Alpacas were also used as a mean of transportation in order to keep a constant commercial exchange with other towns from the coast.

The "atacameños" showed their artistic developement through pottery, weaves, basketry, wood carving as well as through metallurgy , specially of copper and bronze. Well known are their woodenmade rappee boards and tubes .

In concern to the religion , it is known that they believed in life after death and that they buried their deaths with clothing and food for the travel to the other life. They adored different forces of the Nature . No temples or oratories have been found.

The "atacameños" have been the most developed pre-Colombian town of Chile. With the arrival of the Spaniers they show themselves as pacific people receiving the expeditions of Diego de Almagro and Pedro de Valdivia which came to get suply in the oasis by the middle of the XVI century.

THE VILLAGE

San Pedro de Atacama (San Pedro for short) is a small village located in one of the many oases which are founded in the altiplano of the second region of Chile.

Along this geographic zone rise some of the highest volcanoes of the Los Andes cordillera.

Formerly the center of the Atacama culture, today San Pedro's population is about 2.500.

Nowadays this small town has a big importance because it is considered as the archeological capital of Chile and also becouse of its extreme geographic position , the beauty of the landscape and its eternal blue sky.

The main economic activities are tourist trade followed by small farming (small cultivation, breeding of sheep and goats).

Due to the amazing landscape of this zone, San Pedro has turned into the start point of the touristic activity and the excursions around the region. So we can find a big variety of services for the visitors such as lodging, restaurants, tourist agencies, handcraft, telephone office, internet, post and police station.

Another characteristic of San Pedro is its cosmopolitan atmosphere, becouse it is a destination that cannot be lost by all the tourists that come to Chile, specially from Europe.

www.sanpedroatacama.com