TASTIL RUINS

On a hill rising about 60 ms above the bottom of the Valle de Lerma valley, a citadel with pre-Incan characteristics that was inhabited between the years 1360 and 1440 A.C., can be noticed. It is a group of residential complexes covering an area of around 12 hectares.

The remains where unveiled by Eric Boman in the year 1903, and studied and rebuilt in 1967 by a team from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata University, led by Mario Cigliano.

It is located 2.5 kms away from the town of Santa Rosa de Tastil, at 3200 m.a.s.l..

Due to its urban layout, it is one of the most valuable archaeological sites in Argentine's northeastern territory. The quadrangular and rectangular structures are not repeated in a strict geometrical sense, owing perhaps to the topography of the place.

It is hard to imagine that this silent village, where currently the fingers of a hand exceed the number of its inhabitants, housed long past almost 2,000 souls. Its ancient settlers built sinuous streets that form a maze converging in a sort of central plaza.

The ruins that can now be seen are stone constructions. In the time of the Incas, the roofs were made of leather and weaved out of llama and sheep wool. It hardly rains in the region.

The great amount of material found on the surface caught the attention of explorers. In spite of the many years that have elapsed, remains of pottery, arrow tips and obsidian (the raw material to make them) can still be found.

Investigation has established that Tastil's settlers where excellent weavers, bred llamas and guanacos and made stone and rustic pottery objects. They traded with other Andean towns and farmed at the foot of the mountains.

Towards the east, on the mountains surrounding the site, some areas are found completely filled with rock paintings. There are many fields swith significantly big stones covered with geometrical, zoomorphic and anthropological images imprinted on them.

However, the most signisficanat rock painting found in the area is the "Tastil's Ballerina" (in exhibition at the Museo de Antropología de Salta Museum, next to the Güemes monument), and another one of no less value called "The Calendar", a circular drawing with symbols that have not been deciphered.

Other rock painting motifs are felines, ophidians and rheas, together with geometrical zigzag figures. Human forms and masks were also represented on the rock. Its economic importance was determined by the fact that it was the place to exchage products brought in from the Puna highlands and vice versa.

HOW TO GET THERE
Coming from the city of Salta, it is a 101 kms long journey up to the town of Santa Rosa de Tastil, standing at 3,080 m.a.s.l.. From the Limache roundabout, and following the Nº 51 National Route, travellers go into the Quebrada del Toro Gorge, and then across Campo Quijano, bound to Chile. Before arriving at this locality, starts the slope leading to the Abra del Muñano Mountain pass, a doorway to the Puna highlands proper.

WEATHER
Arid, dry, cold and windy.

FESTIVITIES
Santa Rosa de Lima, the Patron Saint of the town is celebrated every 31st of August. A peculiar thing about these celebrations is its marked syncretism: the fusion of Catholic religious rites with pre-Hispanic ones. God the Creator stands side by side with Pachamama, the Mother Earth. Here the Suri dance can be appreciated followed by the Holy Cross, the altar boys and finally Saint Rose.

The suris are pledge-makers pretending to be rheas. With feathers on their heads, bodies, arms and legs they dance rather caothicaly. When bombs are dropped, the thunder makes them fall on the ground "because they are scared". From then on, two of them will struggle to cut up the hindquarters of a sheep or goat with a few energetic movements. At the end, whoever gets the biggest share of the animal will enjoy more abundance and prosperity during that year.

SANTA ROSA DE TASTIL MUSEUM
Along the Ruta Nacional Nº 51, bound to Chile, and 100 ms away from the place, stands the Site Museum of Santa Rosa de Tastil, which refers the story of the Andean culture that flourished here.

The museum's only room exhibits investigation exhibits data about pertaining works, excavations, classification and restoration. The pottery, textiles and metal artefacts found here were used for funeral and religious purposes, but not the arrow tips nor the stone made milling objects.

A sample of the textiles from the region can also be appreciated at the museum. The textile industry outstands as the most important of this farming and stockbreeding town, which used to be the center for trade between the highland regions and the adjacent valleys.

It opens Mondays through Fridays (save Thursdays) from 10:00 AM to 06:00 PM, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 02:00 PM. Visitors are guided by Luis Santillán, the man in charge of the museum, or by his wife, Elsa Verón.

ACTIVITIES
Visitors who love rock scaling, can practice free scaling at Santa Rosa de Tastil, thanks to the granite mountains emerging in the area. It is a rarity on Salta's nature: a place close to the highlands with many volcanic mountains in its surroundings.