Archaeological Monument of Tulor

Six kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama is the Aldea de Tulor, one of the oldest archaeological sites in northern Chile. Discovered in 1980 by Gustave le Paihe, it has aroused a lively interest among archaeologists. The monument is a small village of round houses connected to each other.

The age of the settlement of Tulor is more than three thousand years old, it can be called the cradle of the Atakamenyan culture. Once there lived 150-200 people engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding and ceramics production. The village is perfectly preserved because it was almost completely covered with sand. In addition to the three main round buildings, parts of clay walls and defensive structures, fragments of cobbled streets and vegetable gardens have been preserved.

Excavations have not yet been completed and more and more buildings are presented to historians from the sand. The cylindrical foundations of some buildings are the subject of heated debate as their purpose is still unknown.

The Toulor Historic Monument is part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve and is one of the three must-see destinations when choosing the Tour Arqueologico, an archaeological tour.