What is Monte Verde?
ABOUT MONTE VERDE
The complex is made up of four main archaeological sites: Monte Verde I, Monte Verde II, Chinchihuapi I, and Chinchihuapi II.
Early Communities
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. In Monte Verde we see not only stone tools, but also cultural remains of organic origin, such as braided ropes, stakes, remains of huts, and plants used for food and medicine; offering a comprehensive view of the relationship between the earliest communities and their environment.
Early Excavations
The excavations have revealed a large structure about twenty meters long, inhabited by a group of twenty to thirty people. There, spaces separated by partitions, individual and communal hearths, animal hides covering the floors, wooden mortars used to grind food, and remains of seeds, nuts, and fruits were recorded. In a nearby area, another U-shaped construction was erected for collective work: mastodons were butchered there, hides were processed, and tools were manufactured. Human footprints marked in the clay were even found—tangible traces of those who inhabited this place more than fourteen millennia ago.
Botanical Knowledge
In addition, the excavations made it possible to identify eighteen plant species with medicinal properties, several of them originating from coastal environments or even from areas located hundreds of kilometers away. This botanical knowledge anticipates practices that are still maintained today by Indigenous peoples of southern Chile.
Recognized by UNESCO on the Tentative List for World Heritage, Monte Verde possesses Outstanding Universal Value: due to its exceptional state of preservation, it offers direct and unique evidence of the lives of the continent’s earliest human groups and their adaptation to a transforming glacial landscape. Beyond archaeological data, the site stands as a testament to creativity, resilience, and a profound connection with nature.
Monte Verde Today
Today, the Monte Verde Foundation works to safeguard, research, and share this legacy, projecting the site to the local community and to the world as a heritage that belongs to all humanity.
Why is Monte Verde unique?
Antiquity and Scientific Significance
Paradigm Shift
Exceptional Preservation
Archaeological Integrity
Monte Verde in Numbers
50 years
+80
10
+200
40
+120
Recognized by UNESCO on the Tentative List for World Heritage.
Monte Verde possesses Outstanding Universal Value: due to its remarkable state of preservation, it offers direct and unique evidence of the lives of the continent’s earliest human groups and their adaptation to a transforming glacial landscape. Beyond archaeological data, the site stands as a testament to creativity, resilience, and a profound connection with nature.
Today, the Monte Verde Foundation works to safeguard, research, and share this legacy, projecting the site to the local community and to the world as a heritage that belongs to all humanity.
Monte Verde Today and the Future
In 2026, fifty years will mark the discovery of Monte Verde. With evidence dating back more than 14,500 years, the site reshaped the interpretation of the early peopling of the Americas. It was added to UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2004 and declared a National Historic Monument in 2008.
In November 2025, new archaeological test excavations authorized by the National Monuments Council were carried out, directed by Dr. Tom Dillehay. Part of this work was funded by the Regional Government of Los Lagos through the Community Fund, through the project “Bringing Monte Verde Closer to the Community,” which integrated scientific research, educational activities, local gatherings, and the production of outreach materials to strengthen the connection between the archaeological complex and its territorial environment.
At the same time, the Monte Verde Foundation is implementing the Strategic Route for the World Heritage Nomination, funded by the National Cultural Heritage Service, aimed at consolidating the technical and management foundations necessary for a future nomination.
Likewise, studies and preventive actions are being carried out in coordination with the National Monuments Council and other public and private institutions linked to the archaeological complex.
Monte Verde maintains active research and an ongoing process of heritage management.
ABOUT
Dr. Tom Dillehay
Dr. Tom D. Dillehay is one of the most influential archaeologists in the study of early human settlement in the Americas. He led the discovery and research at Monte Verde, where evidence of 14,500 years of human occupation challenged the Clovis-first theory and placed Chile at the center of the international scientific debate. Emeritus Professor at Vanderbilt University (USA) and faculty member at the Austral University of Chile, his career has been distinguished by methodological rigor, an interdisciplinary approach, and the training of new generations of researchers.
Throughout his career, he has received significant honors, including honorary Chilean citizenship (2017), the Society for American Archaeology’s Award for Scientific Excellence, an Honorary Doctorate from Universidad San Sebastián, and distinctions from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.