Abstract

Walls and murals are expressions of both thought processes and structures, as well as agents promoting their reproduction. The present work seeks to approach the builders and inhabitants of the village Pampa Union (Canton Central, Antofagasta Region, Chile) through the study of the murals preserved in it. This work was conducted in three parallel and interconnected stages, which considered (1) a systematic archaeological pedestrian record, (2) a review of printed and digital sources, and (3) an aerial photogrammetric record with a drone. The results show the existence of 226 walls with traces of engobe and/or mural painting, but only 29 with the presence of written and/or pictorial figurative elements. Among the latter are recognized names of stores, advertising, and interior decoration, so it is proposed that these walls acted ordering and decorating the space, persuading to buy products and affecting the sensory perception of people.