Cuz Cuz or Cuzcuz is a small village and an

archeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology an ...

which lies about 6 kilometers from the city of

Illapel Illapel () is a Chilean city, which is the capital of the Choapa Province, Coquimbo Region. It lies along the Illapel River and marks the country's narrowest point along a parallel (94 km). It is located to the east of Los Vilos. Admini ...

Choapa Province Choapa Province is one of the provinces making up the Coquimbo Region of Chile. It has an area of 10,079.8 km² and a population of 81,681. The capital of the province is the town of Illapel. Administration The current presidential provinc ...

, in the Coquimbo Region of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

. It is important in Chilean history as the place where the treaty ending the

Chilean Civil War of 1829 Chilean may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Chile, a country in South America * Chilean people * Chilean Spanish * Chilean culture * Chilean cuisine * Chilean Americans See also *List of Chileans This is a list of Chileans who ar ...

was signed.

History

The first inhabitants of the area arrived during the Paleoindian Period (12000-8000 a.C) characterized by hunters of large size animals. Archeological digs for this periods have been found in the Quereo site. The second period is the Archaic (8000 -200 a.C) with a population of hunters and gatherers. The third population period is the Agro-Potters with: a) the El Molle complex (130 a.C-700 d.C), b) Las Ánimas (800-1000 d.C) and c)

Diaguita The Diaguita people are a group of South American Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous people native to the Chilean Norte Chico, Chile, Norte Chico and the Argentine Northwest. Western or Chilean Diaguitas lived mainly in the Transvers ...

culture (1000-1536 d.C). Finally the

Inca The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

s conquered this territory shortly before the arrival of the Spaniards, which establish their main population center about 5 kilometers away, at the confluence of the rivers

and Choapa, founding the city of Illapel. The Treaty of Cuz-Cuz, between the liberal and the Conservatives forces that brought an end the

was signed here.

Tourism

Cuz-Cuz is home to one of the largest concentrations of petroglyphs from the

El Molle culture El Molle culture was a South American archaeological culture from in the Transverse Valleys of Norte Chico, Chile, known chiefly for its ceramics. The culture existed from 300 to 700 CE and was later replaced in Chile by Las Ánimas culture tha ...

. They are spread out over an area of approximately 35 square kilometers. This site seem to form part of a large ancient astronomical observatory, with the petroglyphs being their astronomical records. May 15 is San Isidro Day in Cuz-Cuz. If the day falls on a Monday, the following Sunday is celebrated. Celebrations begin at noon with a Mass, followed by a procession and Chinese dances.

External links

Complete study of Petroglyphs in the area
{{coord, 31, 39, S, 71, 14, W, region:CL_type:city, display=title Archaeological sites in Chile Populated places in Choapa Province