Matilla is a Chilean village and oasis in the interior of

Atacama Desert The Atacama Desert () is a desert plateau located on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast of South America, in the north of Chile. Stretching over a strip of land west of the Andes Mountains, it covers an area of , which increases to if the barre ...

. It lies four kilometers southwest of the oasis town of Pica. As of 2017 Matilla had 380 inhabitants and 217 homes. It hosts underground aqueducts in various states of decay. These aqueducts are locally known as ''socavones'' and tap

Pica Aquifer Pica Aquifer () located in Tarapacá Region of Norte Grande, northern Chile is one of the most important aquifers of Atacama Desert. The water of the aquifer is tapped by a system of underground aqueducts known as puquios to irrigate the oasis, oas ...

. In the late 19th century its inhabitants were prone to suffer

typhus Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposu ...

, ostensibly because of the poor quality of the village's water source and the existence of a nearby swamp. In 1904 the village had obtained a new water supply thanks to Father Luis Friedrich's initiative and the wealthy neighbors who financed the works. The population of Matilla is mostly of Spanish descent in contrast to Pica whose old inhabitants have more indigenous heritage. The location became first known to the Spanish after the men of

Diego de Almagro Diego de Almagro (; – July 8, 1538), also known as El Adelantado and El Viejo, was a Spanish conquistador known for his exploits in western South America. He participated with Francisco Pizarro in the Spanish conquest of Peru. While subduing ...

reached the area in 1536 on their return to Peru. Local lore says the town was founded in 1547 by Márquez de Loayza who arrived from present-day Bolivia. Other sources give 1642 as the date of founding.

References

{{reflist Oases of Chile Populated places in El Tamarugal Province Localities irrigated by puquios