"Eric Boman" Provincial Museum of Archaeology

Yocavil Cultural Center
Located on the corner of Sarmiento and Belgrano Streets
Tel. 0833-37564
Open Mondays through Sundays from 8:30a.m. to 1p.m. and from 5 to 9p.m.

This museum founded by don Ernesto Salvatierra harbors pieces belonging to the cultures that flourished in the Calchaquí Valleys. In the 10th century A.D., each valley developed a unique personality that is expressed mainly in funerary ceramics. This period can be divided into the following cultures: Santa María, Belén and Sanagasta. This museum is under the authority of the Department of Anthropology of the province of Catamarca, and it was named after the Swedish researcher who worked in the Argentine Northwest. The museum was founded in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the city of Santa María. It was built around pieces gathered in Fuerte Quemado and others that were in the hands of local inhabitants. Part of the museums wealth is exhibited in the Banco Provincia. This museum describes the complete spectrum of the development of Indian life ranging from the pre-ceramic period and including the early, middle and late pottery periods up to the Hispanic Indian period. There are also pieces pertaining to the Condor Huasi and Candelaria cultures that formerly belonged to the collection assembled by father Vázquez.

Santa María
The city of Santa María is located 320km. north of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, on national route No. 40. It is reached by taking provincial route No. 1 up to Andalgalá, and then switching to provincial route No. 47 up to its intersection with route No. 40. It is considered the National Capital of Archaeology. There are noteworthy sites belonging to the Acalín Indians of Loma Rica, and the most important field of petroglyphs in South America. The city has an important hotel and gastronomic facilities.