Cerro Sombrero Geoglyphs (Azapa Valley)
Geoglifos de Cerro Sombrero · Azapa Hat Hill Geoglyphs
Middle Horizon to Late Intermediate (Cabuza-Maytas-Chiribaya / Arica)·Arica cultural complex·🇨🇱 Arica y Parinacota Region, Azapa Valley, Chile
About
About Cerro Sombrero Geoglyphs (Azapa Valley)
Hill figures and extensive pre-Hispanic village on Cerro Sombrero (Hat Hill) in mid-Azapa Valley, 12 km inland from Arica. Dark volcanic colluvium hill (420 m) bears 20+ geoglyphs: camelid rows, 25-40 m anthropomorphs and 60 m serpent executed by clearing to light alluvium. Summit and terraces contain 500-house agglutinated settlement with stone-footed quincha dwellings (c.1000-1400 CE, Arica culture / Desarrollo Regional) documented by Muñoz and Briones. San Miguel de Azapa Archaeological Museum (12 km) curates associated Cabuza black-on-red ceramics and Chinchorro-related textiles. Accessible via A-27 col colectivo and mirador.
Why it mattersOnly Tarapacá geolyph hill with fully preserved hillside village.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Association geoglyph-village chronology
Theories
- 01Ancestor Hill marking
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.800-1400 CE
- Period
- Middle Horizon to Late Intermediate (Cabuza-Maytas-Chiribaya / Arica)
- Culture
- Arica cultural complex
- Builders
- Azapa valley agropastoral communities
- Purpose
- Village-associated geoglyph marking and terrace agriculture ritual
- Abandoned
- c.1420 CE (Inca incorporation)
- Rediscovered
- 1950s Focacci; 1977 Muñoz survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1000
500-house village peak
1977
Muñoz maps geoglyphs and terraces
On the ground
Structures & features
18.5200° S · 70.1000° W · 420 m · 2 mapped features
Cerro Sombrero Serpent Geoglyph
geoglyph60-m sinuous serpent on southern slope
18.5180° S · 70.1020° WSombrero Summit Village Terraces
settlementPre-Hispanic 500-house quincha terrace complex
18.5220° S · 70.0980° W