The Ruins of Quilmes is an archaeological site in the Calchaquí Valleys

Calchaquí Valleys

The Calchaquí Valley is an area in the northwestern region of Argentina which crosses the provinces of Catamarca, Tucumán and Salta. It is best known for its contrast of colours and its unique geography that ranges from the mountain desert to the subtropical forest.There are a number of valleys...

, Tucumán Province

Tucumán Province

Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...

, Argentina. They are the remains of what was the largest pre-Columbian

Pre-Columbian

The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...

 settlement in the country, occupying about thirty hectares. The area dates back to ca 850 and was inhabited by the Quilmes people; it is believed that about 5000 people lived here during its heights.

Although discovered in 1888 by Samuel Alejandro Lafone Quevedo, the ruins were first studied in 1897 by the archaeologist Juan Bautista Ambrosetti

Juan Bautista Ambrosetti

Juan Bautista Ambrosetti was an Argentine archaeologist, ethnographer and naturalist who helped pioneer anthropology in his country.-Life and work:...

.