“Ancient sites in Chile – Highlighting Monte Verde, TAgua Tagua and the Chinchorro”
by
Ruth McElhinney
Monday, July 11, 2022
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. PDT
People have been living in the southwest part of South America for more than eighteen thousand years – and some archaeologists say it could be as much as thirty-three thousand years. Ruth will review excavations in Chile that reflect People have been living in the southwest part of South America for more than eighteen thousand years – and some archaeologists say it could be as much as thirty-three thousand years. Ruth will review excavations in Chile that reflect this ancient presence. More specifically she will discuss the finds from Monte Verde, Tagua Tagua and Chinchorro sites. Monte Verde is renowned for finds dated to 18,300 years ago if not 33,000 years ago. Tagua Tagua has artifacts dated to 11,380. A Chinchorro male mummy bears the earliest tattoo found in the Americas. He has a mustache-like dotted line tattooed above his upper lip; the tattoo dates to c. 2300 BC.

Ruth McElhinney, a retired economic development, community relations and legislative professional has a keen avocational interest in history, anthropology and archaeology. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Archeological Society, Inc. for more than twenty years. She has participated in archaeological excavations and lab work in Italy, Mississippi, and California; has attended historical classes at Oxford; co-led classes for the Renaissance Society, a lifelong learning community sponsored by Sacramento State University; and served as a board member of Friends of San Juan (San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua). She has traveled widely, visiting archaeological sites in Great Britain, Ireland, Meso-America, and South Africa.