Argentina

Pucará de Tilcara

Pre-Inca fortified town (pukara), Tilcara, Argentina

Location

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Historical Context

About

The Pucará de Tilcara is a pre-Inca fortification or pukara located on a hill just outside (approximately a 15-minute walk) the small town of Tilcara, in the Argentine province of Jujuy. The location was strategically chosen to be easily defensible and to provide good views over a long stretch of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. The Pucará de Tilcara was declared a National Monument in 2000. It has been partially rebuilt, and is the only publicly accessible archaeological site in the Quebrada de Humahuaca.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Omaguaca settlement

12th century

Inca conquest

late 15th century

Spanish arrival

1536

Rediscovery by archaeologists

1908

Excavation and rebuilding work begun

1911

Museum opening

1966

Earliest habitation

more than 10,000 years ago

Founding of modern Tilcara

1586

National Monument designation

2000

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Defensive Structures

Fortresses
category

Animal Husbandry Features

Corrals
category

Public and Civic Structures

Administrative Buildings
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Burial and Funerary Structures

GravesCemeteries
category

Industrial and Craft Structures

Mines
category

Religious and Ritual Structures

AltarsCeremonial Platforms
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Agricultural and Land Use Features

Gardens
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Domestic and Habitation Structures

HousesTowns
Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

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Reference

Details

Country

Argentina

Coordinates

-23.59° N, -65.40° E