CHILE: Authorities warn ruins of ancient village in northern Chile are eroding

Ancient ruins, which have survived centuries in Chile's Atacama Desert are being eaten away by ferocious winds that sweep daily across the land, archaeologists are warning. The Tudor ruins, discovered 25 years ago by archaeologists, were buried under the sand for nearly two thousand years. Last year, the World Monuments Fund put the Tudor site on the list of 100 most endangered sites. Officials said there is still no plan to protect the ruins, nearly 4 miles (6 kilometres) outside of the town of San Pedro de Atacama. Archaeologist Ana Maria Baron said the Atacama is full of ancient sites, but a lack of funds is hindering exploration and preservation. "The Atacama desert is hiding, both above and below ground, huge discoveries for humanity from the last 40 or 50 thousand years- huge secrets that simply for a lack of resources we can't investigate," Baron said. Despite the worries over erosion, Barion said the site appears to be in very good shape. "I have studied many neolithic sites from around the world, and I believe, at least from photographs, that the Village of Tudor is the best preserved neolithic site on this planet," the archaeologist said. The ancient village -- dating back to 800 BC -- is made up of 106 circular structures that once housed around 200 people on what was then the shores of the San Pedro River. According to archaeologists, the circular structures served to create a type of thermal isolation to keep the deserts hot days and cold nights at bay. Tourist visits are currently being managed by members of the Coyo community, who have built a wooden boardwalk to keep people away from the old houses. However, it's not man who is destroying the structure. Leonardo Martinez, the president of the Coyo community, affirmed that the same forces of erosion that unearthed the round homes now threaten to destroy them as winds blast sand across the desert and occasional rain eats away at the walls. "Erosion is destroying the walls. It's just a part, like 4 per cent, that is exposed, because the rest is buried. All the same, the rain and the wind can still erode the layers," Fernandez said. The walls of the structures have already begun to diminish and although ideas have been discussed, no plan to save them has been put in place. Canadian tourist Susan Neden agreed that a plan was needed to protect the ruins. "What I found really interesting was that when I looked at the brochures you could actually see more into the ruins. And now that I'm here I can see how the sand is refilling. And areas actually where it's starting to crumble. So I think there needs to be found a way to preserve what's here, but also make it available for people to see and experience," Neden said after visiting the site. Proposed preservation plans include applying chemicals to protect against erosion or building a glass dome over the village, but the Chilean government has not received any formal proposal.

ITN Source | January 27, 2007

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