Catarpe, Archaeological settlement near San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Catarpe is an archaeological settlement with multiple adobe structures distributed along the slopes of a mountain in the Atacama Desert. The ruins span several elevation levels and show remains of dwellings, work areas, and cultivated terraces.
The settlement developed between 500 and 1000 years ago as a key junction point between highland and coastal regions. This location served as a crucial hub within trade networks that moved goods and people across vast distances.
The adobe buildings at this site reveal how residents constructed their homes and organized settlement patterns on the mountain slopes. The arrangement of structures demonstrates practical choices about living in one of Earth's driest regions.
The site is easy to explore on foot but offers minimal shade, so bring sun protection and water. Interpretative signs in multiple languages help guide visitors and explain what each type of structure was used for.
The settlement contains visible irrigation terraces that show how residents captured and managed water in one of Earth's driest places. This farming technique was essential to survival and made the community self-sufficient despite the harsh landscape.
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