A group of archaeologists accompanying the construction of a Santiago metro project found vestiges from 13,000 years ago, including eight human skeletons, which reveal for the first time the presence of nomadic populations in the valley of the Chilean capital. "This precedent is unprecedented for national archeology because there were no known hunter-gatherer groups in the valley" of Santiago, archaeologist Consuelo Carracedo explained to AFP on Thursday during the presentation of the unprecedented discovery. The AFP agency reported that among the pieces found, which date back to the archaic period (11,000-300 BC), there are eight human skeletons, stone spearheads, seeds and fragments of camelid bones, among other vestiges. Since 2020, archeology work has been carried out on a 17-hectare plot of land located in the municipality of Renca, in the northwest of Santiago. Before these excavations, the existence of nomadic populations was only known in the mountain range and on the coast of what is now central Chile. As a result of this new archaeological discovery, scientists believe that populations of hunter-gatherers passed through and temporarily settled in what is currently known as Santiago. These remains provide us with "important information, because they tell us that these groups were traveling through the Mapocho River (which crosses Santiago from east to west)," said the expert. Since 2020, archeology work has been carried out on a 17-hectare plot of land located in the municipality of Renca, in the northwest of Santiago. Archaeologists explore the terrain with brushes, spatulas and small shovels in search of vestiges that reveal the ways of life of ancient times. The parking lots and repair workshops for the trains of the new metro line 7 will be built there, which is expected to be operational in 2028. Archaeologists explore the terrain with brushes, spatulas and small shovels in search of vestiges that reveal the ways of life of ancient times. "Here there was a flood plain, where the Mapocho River grew, depositing fine sediment," which covered the remains, maintains archaeologist Carracedo. With this discovery it was possible to carry out "a complete sequence of occupations, from the earliest period, which is the archaic, to pottery groups, historical and even recent times," he added.