Paracas Candelabra, Ancient geoglyph in Paracas Peninsula, Peru.
Paracas Candelabra is a geoglyph on the Paracas Peninsula in Pisco Province, Ica Department, Peru. The hillside figure shows three long prongs extending from a central stem, each ending in horizontal lines.
Pottery found nearby points to a creation during the Paracas period, more than two thousand years ago. Some researchers believe it was added later, but most evidence supports an early origin.
The geoglyph is also called the Candelabra of the Andes, El Candelabro, Tridente or Tres cruces. Its meaning remains a mystery; one hypothesis links its main axis to the Southern Cross, guiding navigators, while another holds that pirates used it as a landmark. A theory without origin attributes it to José de San Martín as a Masonic symbol.
Boat tours from Paracas Bay allow views of the geoglyph from the water. Trips usually take under an hour and offer the clearest perspective during calm mornings or late afternoons.
The slope is steep enough that visitors can only grasp the full design from a distance. The trenches are roughly two feet deep, and their inner surface differs in color and texture from the surrounding ground.
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