Their geographical area was parts of the Argentine provinces of La Rioja, Catamarca, San Juan, from the mountainous zone comprising the limit of La Rioja with Catamarca on the Colorado River and the environs of the Jáchal River-Zanjón, in San Juan, including the Andes on the west, up to the Velasco ranges, where they were mixed with the Diaguitas.
Vestiges of their language are in word endings as bis, pebble or small stone, for example: Yacampis, Quilmebis, Guanchina, etc.
They used ceramics widely,[2] principally in the production of funeral urns, decorated geometrically with the colors black, red and white, known as Sanagasta or Angualasto style.
The etymology of the name started to this people seems to be the Runa simi (Quechua) word Qhapak ñan (Great road), that is to say the so-called "Inca Highway".
The majority of the authors consider the Capayán as part of the Pazioca ("Diaguitas") due to the cultural common features (for example the use of the language Kakán), the same as the Calchaquíes, Olongastas, Quilmes, though they would have differed because of the genetic and cultural influence of their neighboring Huarpes and after 1480 for the presence of Mitmakuna persons deported to this region by the Incas.