El Encanto Valley
Located 19 km west of Ovalle, this is a very important valley, due to the petroglyphs, pictographs, and tacit stones that are found here.
It is a huge amphitheater, 5km across, that was a religious sanctuary at one time and that, nowadays, has been converted into an open-air museum of cultural and scientific interest.
Archeological excavations have been carried out in the valley, which have shown that groups of hunters were living in this area nearly 4,000 years ago. The valley was discovered in 1946 and declared a National Monument in 1973.
More than 30 petroglyphs are etched into the rocks, showing heads with masks and tiaras, together with snakes and fish. Examples of evidence of life found are the pictographs drawn in rustic colors and the tacit stones used for painting or preparing food.
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