The Diaguita people arrived to the area c. 700 CE, about three hundred years after the Molle people. They crossed from Argentina through one of the several summer passages in the Andes mountain range. They practiced advanced forms of agriculture, pottery, stone work, weaving and metallurgy, mainly based on copper and bronze). They also carved figures in stone known as petroglyphs. These petroglyphs are believed to represent the cosmology of the Diaguita people. Nowadays, a number of these archeological treasures can be found in the area of Rincón las Chilcas. The Inca conquerors arrived c. 1450 CE. It is believed that the conquest was peaceful, and mainly affected cultural aspects. They extended the Inca roads in the area, and practiced advanced forms of mining and agriculture. Spanish Conquest and Colony The failed expedition of Diego de Almagro arrived in the area in c. 1536. As it is known, they returned shortly after to Peru, empty handed. After that, the expedition of Pedro de Valdivia arrived to the area c. 1541. They found the valley mostly uninhabited, because most of the indigenous people were hiding in the hills. The indigenous were already afraid of Spaniards, because of the deeds of Almagro and his people. The first Spanish chronologist recording the name of "Cocambala" valley was Jeronimo de Vivar. He wrote: "It rains more heavier and more in summer (than Copiapó)... there are good rivers in this area". He described the number of inhabitants as "Not too many people". Before the official foundation of the town, the life there was characterized for being extremely hard. The first census showed that the overall population of the area (Combarbalá, Cogotí and Pama) was 240 people, distributed across 60 families. Most of the activities were related to farming and shepherding. In 1757, the overall population was around 1,140 people. That same year, Bishop Manuel de Alday established the vice-Parish in the area. In 1774, this was advanced to parish status. Later, on March 3, 1789, neighbors of the area ask the Spanish governor, Ambrosio O'Higgins, to establish a church in the area. This finally happened on November 30, 1789. The original name of the city was "Villa de San Francisco de Borja de Combarbalá". The foundation was done by Captain Juan Ignacio Flores, under the authority of governor and later viceroy, Ambrosio O'Higgins. At the beginning of the 18th century, mines of copper, gold and