More from Tilcara

We took a beautiful hike for six miles through the desert and into the mountains, to a gorge called the La Garganta del Diablo, or The Throat of the Devil. The town of Tilcara had constructed a modern dam here to channel water to the irrigation systems below.I thought the irrigation in the Quebrada was very interesting. This particular channel, from the Garganta dam, snaked for three miles through the desert from high in the mountains, only to deliver water to fields a mere five feet above the river bed. This is a photo of the irrigation channel high on the side of the gorge, just below the Garganta:Down near our hostel, the irrigation is done with much older technology. Here is a channel dug in the earth, with a little stone for a sluice gate. The little channel to the left watered a single corn field in a farming terrace.Here is another view from our hike, of the lush valley and the dry mountains:Up at the Garganta del Diablo, and in other places scattered around the fields and settlements, I´ve noticed these strange rock piles constructed from river stones. They are always in a rounded conical form and sometimes have a little niche like this one. They always have burned incense on top and maize stalks or husks piled on top or around. Naomi or I haven´t been able to ask anyone about these, so we just don´t know what they are. I have heard that some people in the area still practice the indigenous religion, but I don´t know if these are related.An example of the mud brick house construction:Here are some newly made mud bricks, drying in the sun:--Ryan