Talampaya National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, is located on the border between the provinces of San Juan and La Rioja, in north-western Argentina. The processes of plate tectonic movement, forming the Andes mountain range 60 million years ago, are clearly exposed. The 150-metres high reddish walls and the various geomorphologies are the result of erosion by water and wind in a dry desert climate. Dating back as far as the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era, some 225 million years ago, the park is rich in animal and plant fossils. In open sites on the rocks and cliffs, a great number of figure engravings as well as various geometrical motifs are found. Believed to express a union between nature and culture, they are one of the most relevant rock art sites in Argentina.
