Just 2 km away from he present day village of Santa Rosa de Tastil, is the largest pre-incan archaeological site in Argentina: the ruins of pre-incan settlement of about 3000 people, who lived in more than 400 stone buildings. Catacombs, llama corrals and gardens to grow quinoa, maize and potatoes are in amongst the many buildings and intricate system of paths. The whole city sits on top of a mountain about 3200 meters height, with a view over the expansive valley of the river Toro and far away mountain ranges and peaks of extinct volcanoes.
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| Tastil's beginnings reach back to around 1000 A.D., the Incas arrived around 1500. They did not like large native communities, which may undermine their political and economic power. They 'de-populated' towns like Tastil, and redirected local labour to their own commercial enterprises: larger agricultural undertakings, mining and production of goods in the lower regions of the Quedabra de Toro. |
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| Gigantic cacti grow amongst the ruins, which were 're-discovered' by Europeans around the beginning of the 20th century. |
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| High and Dry... |
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| Still a little chilly, this little lizard was still too sleepy to flee from the sound of human steps... |
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| Where our beloved potato originated....South America, pre Inca, pre Columbus, pre Revolutions.... |
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| The mountain side is covered with building remains, fences, ceremonial stones ('waca' stone in the centre square, was used for ritual sacrifices) all constructed without mortar. Many of the buildings are circular, to better withstand the ferocious winds which batter these regions on frequent occasions. |
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| Guard and Guide in the Ruins of Tastil |
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| The Incas ruled for a relatively short time, before the Spanish took over power. |
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| The pre Incan population may have chosen their settlement sites for safety and survival reasons, however, the views from their towns are spectacular. |
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| Back on the road again...higher and higher, a few snow capped mountain tops appear occasionally. |
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| The High Plains, between 3600 and 4200 meters altitude. Llama herds browse amongst the scarce vegetation. They are not native to the area, but were introduced as domestic animals with the arrival of the Incas from Peru... |
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| Lunch stop in San Antonio de Cobres, which is also the end station for the Tren de las Nubes. Stark poverty is evident. Dust, stones, cacti, adobe buildings, electricity poles, dirt streets.... |
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| But in our chosen 'almuerzo' (lunch) restaurant, poverty is forgotten. The locals play and sing Andean 'folklorico', whilst indulging in a bite to eat and a soft drink. Owner, cashier, bartender (standing) joins in the singing and playing. |
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The menu: definitely local ingredients.
Food is said to be 'mui rico and sabroso', in other words very tasty.
I tried potato and goat cheese appetizer. And then I ate a local 'guiso de lentejas', a lentil stew which was so good, that one could understand why Esau could wheedle away Isaac's birthright with one of those. Of course, these biblical personages did not enjoy the addition of llama meat, chorizo and local smoked bacon to the basic lentils... |
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| Driving higher and higher, the landscape changes again: multicoloured mountainsides, almost like the Grand Canyon in Arizona.... |
(Wikipedia quotes) Pucará de Tilcara is an archaeological site located in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a narrow mountain valley in northwest Argentina. The settlement was built on a small hill overlooking the Río Grande de Jujuy, with steep sides and a gently sloping summit. It is thought to have been first occupied in the tenth century A.D. During the fifteenth century, the expansion of the powerful Inca Empire into this region resulted in significant cross-cultural exchange. The Spanish arrived in the valley in 1536, but did not gain control of the area, which included the route to the important silver-mining town of Potosí to the north, until 1595. The settlement was later abandoned and looted for building materials
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| A second Pre Inca and Inca settlement in Tilcara has been restored to a great extend. It gives a broader insight into the lives and habits of the ancient population |
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| Again, the ancient town is situated on a strategic mountain top, with spectacular views towards the coloured slopes of the Quebrada. |
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| Relatively 'modern' structures were added to the old settlement. The viviendas - houses - of the original population received restoration of mud and stone roofs, here to be seen as flat areas in the left of above photo. |
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| Enjoying the same view as the old Pre Incan and Incas did, and after them the Spaniards and present day visitors... |
Wikipedia quotes:
Traces of human habitation in the area date back more than 10,000 years. The fortified town was originally built by the Omaguaca tribe, who settled in the area around the 12th century. Experts in agriculture, weaving and pottery, they were also renowned warriors. During their time, the pucará served as an important administrative and military center.
At its peak, the pucará covered up to about 15 acres (61,000 m2) and housed over 2,000 inhabitants, living in small square stone buildings with low doorways and no windows. Besides living quarters, the pucará contained corrals for animals, sites to perform religious ceremonies and burial sites.
In the late 15th century, the tribes of the Quebrada were finally conquered by the Incas under Tupac Inca Yupanqui, who used the pucará as a military outpost and to secure the supply of metals such as silver, zinc and copper which were mined nearby.
The Incan domination of the area only lasted for about half a century, and ended with the arrival of the Spanish in 1536, who founded the modern town of Tilcara in 1586.
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| Pucará de Tilcara is an archaeological site located in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a narrow mountain valley in northwest Argentina. The settlement was built on a small hill overlooking the Río Grande de Jujuy, with steep sides and a gently sloping summit. It is thought to have been first occupied in the tenth century A.D. During the fifteenth century, the expansion of the powerful Inca Empire into this region resulted in significant cross-cultural exchange. The Spanish arrived in the valley in 1536, but did not gain control of the area, which included the route to the important silver-mining town of Potosí to the north, until 1595. The settlement was later abandoned and looted for building materials (Copied from 'World Monument Site) |
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| Present day inhabitant of Tilcara... |
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| And Los Cardones keep growing, a few centimeters each year.... |
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| High desert....San Antonio de Los Cobres, best place for Lentil Stew with Llama meat. |
