Geoglifos de Pintados, Pre-Columbian geoglyphs in Pampa del Tamarugal, Chile
The Geoglifos de Pintados comprise more than 60 panels with 450 figures spread across 3 kilometers on hillsides in the Tarapacá Region. Geometric, human, and animal forms were carved into the landscape by removing surface stones, making them visible from a distance.
Between 700 and 1500 AD, indigenous peoples created these geoglyphs by removing surface materials from hillsides. The work reflects connections to the Tiwanaku civilization that influenced the broader Andean region.
The figures guided caravans traveling between desert and coastal zones, serving as signals along important trade routes. They reveal how indigenous peoples marked and communicated across this harsh landscape.
The site is located roughly 95 kilometers from Iquique and can be reached via Route 16 and the Panamericana Norte highway through Pozo Almonte. Bring warm clothes as the elevation exceeds 1000 meters (3,280 feet) and the area can be cool, plus plenty of water for exploring.
Some figures are difficult to see when standing directly in front of them but become clear from elevated vantage points or from a distance. This suggests the creators may have designed them to be visible from far away or from higher positions.
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