INNOVATION
The discovery of human evidence dated to 14,500 years before present challenged the Clovis thesis that had dominated archaeology for decades, positioning Chile as a key reference point in the discussion on the origins of the continent’s earliest inhabitants.
50 years
Ongoing Research
10
Excavation Campaigns
+120
Published Scientific Articles
Excavation Photographs: Tom Dillehay
What makes Monte Verde unique is the extraordinary preservation of organic remains—wood, plant fibers, hides, food, and even human footprints—preserved beneath a layer of peat from an ancient wetland. This exceptional condition allows us to understand aspects of daily life that rarely survive the passage of time.
Monte Verde is a unique place
When we began the excavations in the late 1970s, the evidence we found—huts, wooden and bone tools, food remains, and even human footprints preserved in the peat—led us to question one of the most deeply rooted beliefs in archaeology: the so-called Clovis theory, which held that the first inhabitants of the Americas had arrived about 13,000 years ago carrying a characteristic stone tool technology.
Monte Verde demonstrated something different. With an age of at least 14,500 years, it became the pioneering site that overturned that model and opened a new chapter in the history of human settlement on the continent.
Today, the Monte Verde Foundation works to ensure that this scientific and cultural legacy is protected, studied, and shared with local communities and with the world. Our commitment is clear: to safeguard, research, and share Monte Verde, not only as an exceptional archaeological site, but as a living heritage that belongs to all humanity.
With the nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status underway, we reaffirm that Monte Verde is not only a benchmark in archaeology, but also a space for learning, reflection, and projecting our shared memory into the future.