The territory of Salta was inhabited by peoples of diverse origins since pre-Columbian times. The influence of these peoples lasts to this day.

The first settlers have left their testimonies as can be seen in the Inca Trails or in the cave paintings of Guachipas. The Archaeological Site of Tastil, an important pre-Hispanic center, is considered one of the most outstanding in South America.

Around 1000 BC the Diaguita-Calchaquí had settled, one of the most important peoples that came from the Andes, and was located in the high valleys and in the Puna.

In the fifteenth century the region was dominated by the Incas and became one of the four regions into which the empire was divided. The Inca influence left its mark in various aspects, and imposed its language, Quechua. Around the 16th century, the area was conquered by the Spanish, beginning the process of cultural exchange and miscegenation.

El Qhapaq Ñan – Main Inca Trail

This Andean road system, a UNESCO Heritage Site, crossed various geographical accidents with an extension of 6 thousand km, passing through Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. It was designed for the exchange between the towns that made up the Incanato. In the Tambos, lodgings for the chasquis and deposits of food, firewood, weapons and other products.

In Argentina, the Principal Andean Road enters through Calahoyo (Bolivia) and crosses seven Argentine provinces: Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán, Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan and through Mendoza it leaves the national territory.  +info

In their expansion in the 15th century, the Incas used roads already built to which they added their own, so many sections are more than 2,000 years old. The expansion of the Incas began in the 15th century, conquering a territory that is estimated to be 5,000 kilometers long. +info 

Tastil Archaeological Site
At 3,000 meters above sea level, 90 km from the city of Salta along RN 51, is this site which, according to research, was an urban center that was inhabited by between 2,000 and 3,000 people. The complex has a main square and a housing area according to social classes. The site is crossed by the Qhapaq Ñan.
The area has an important artistic heritage that is manifested in petroglyphs. At the Santa Rosa de Tastil Interpretation Center, you can access information about the inhabitants before the Incas and the Inca epic.
The area around the Tastil site is very important for its rock art heritage, represented by a large number of petroglyphs, being one of the areas with the highest density in the country.

Rock Paintings of Guachipas
The paintings of Cerro "Cuevas Pintadas", declared Cultural Patrimony of the Nation, date from 900 to 1470 of our era. There the "shield men" predominate, anthropomorphic figures, a variety of shapes, colors and styles; likewise, there are camelids, religious ceremonies, animals, warriors and scenes of daily life from various historical periods.