Photo Gallery

Alero de Taira, some 75 kilometres north-east of the city of Calama, is a world-famous archaeological site in northern Chile, renowned for its exceptional rock art. It is regarded as one of the most important centres of pre-Columbian art in South America. The main feature consists of intricate engravings and paintings estimated to be between 2,000 and 2,800 years old. These are highly detailed depictions of llamas, often accompanied by herders. – The striking, pointed snow-capped peak on the far left in the background is Volcán San Pedro (6,145 m). Right next to it (to the right of it in the picture) is its twin volcano, Volcán San Pablo (6,092 m). These two majestic volcanoes form an unmistakable twin-peaked massif in the Atacama region. – Chile – 1976

The Taira Valley in the upper reaches of the Río Loa in northern Chile. The waters of the Río Loa flow through the deeply incised canyon, creating a narrow, green oasis of vegetation amidst the otherwise extremely inhospitable, arid desert landscape. Striking volcanoes, such as the nearby San Pedro, rise up in the background. The canyon is world-famous for its archaeological site, in particular the Taira rock shelter (Alero). It is home to some of the most complex rock paintings and petroglyphs in South America. The fine lines mainly depict llamas and served as a ritual plea to the gods by indigenous herders of the Atacameño culture for the fertility of their herds. – Chile – 1976

The Pukará de Lasana is a pre-Columbian residential and refuge fortress built by the Atacameños in the 12th century. The ruins of these impressive stone structures stretch along the cliffs directly above the lush green valley floor of the Río Loa (in the middle ground). The combination of the barren canyon walls, the agricultural terraces (andenes) in the valley and the Andean peaks in the background makes this site a unique cultural monument in northern Chile. The twin volcanoes of San Pedro (6,145 metres) and, right next to it, San Pablo (6,092 metres) dominate the horizon. A little further east lie the peaks of Cerro Paniri (5,960 m) and the Cerros de Tocorpuri volcanic complex. – Chile – 1976