Despite being lower than many neighbouring mountains, Licancabur stands out from other volcanoes in the region and is well-known. The Atacameno people worshiped it, and other high mountains are still considered sacred. Licancabur was considered divine, and attempts to climb it were discouraged and sometimes met by force; climbing it supposedly brought misfortune. It is said that Licancabur would punish people who climbed it, and the volcano is the mate of Quimal in the Cordillera Domeyko; at the solstices, the mountains overshadow one another. According to local myth, this copulation fertilizes the earth. Another legend mentions that a legless Inka king lived on Licancabur's summit; he was carried around in a litter and sometimes the carriers died from exhaustion and were buried with treasures. Finally, there is a story about Inkas hiding gold and silver in the crater lake; the wares disappeared and supposedly turned the lake bitter and emerald-green. Licancabur is considered male and a mountain of fire, in contrast to San Pedro (considered a mountain of water). The 1953 Antofagasta earthquake was considered divine retribution for an attempt to climb the mountain that year. According to legend, a golden object (most commonly a guanaco) was offered as tribute in the summit crater; human sacrifices have been reported on the volcano. Between 1,500 and 1,000 years ago, people were buried in San Pedro de Atacama in a posture facing the volcano and the Pukará de Quitor fortress in Chile is also oriented towards the mountain.