"Juan Bautista Ambrosetti" Archaeological Museum of the Quilmes Ruins

Situated in "El Bañado", 70km. away from Tafí del Valle at the end of provincial route No. 307.
Tel. 0892-21075
Open Mondays through Sundays from 8a.m. to 6p.m.

This museum was inaugurated in December 1980 and its halls harbor pieces discovered during the reconstruction of the archaeological site that was made in 1977. There is a plan describing the layout of the city built by the Quilmes Indians. Only ten per cent of the city has been rebuilt. It is estimated that 5,000 members of the Diaguita Calchaquí Indian culture lived here. It is believed to have been inhabited between the years 800 and 1400 when it was invaded by the Incas. Exhibits include vessels for everyday use with a bowl-shaped foot since they were buried in ashes for cooking. There are also funerary urns belonging to the early period, mortars for crushing seeds, blankets, arrowheads and stone axes. There are also ceramic objects from the Santa María culture, and one can easily trace the decadence that overcame these Indians when they were subdued by the Incas.

Tafí del Valle
This town lies 107km. away from the city of San Miguel de Tucumán on provincial route No. 307. Upon leaving the provincial capital one must take national route No. 38 up to its intersection with route No. 307. It is located 2,000m. above sea level and the entire valley harbors remnants of the cultures that inhabited the area since before 300 B. C. It owes its name to the Diaguita word "Taktillakta" that means "The town of the splendid entrance".