Camarones Ravine Geoglyphs (Quebrada de Camarones)
Geoglifos de Camarones · Conanoxa Hill Figures · Camarones Double-Square Corral
Late Intermediate (Arica–Tarapacá)·Camarones–Azapa valley folk·🇨🇱 Arica y Parinacota Region, Camarones Commune, Quebrada de Camarones, Chile
About
About Camarones Ravine Geoglyphs (Quebrada de Camarones)
Steep north-bank terrace system of Quebrada de Camarones (420 m) 18 km east of Caleta Camarones Pacific mouth, 110 km south of Arica. 22 cleared-and-additive figures on colluvial terrace above intermittent river oasis: signature 14-26 m double-outline squares filled with fine white gravel interpreted as ritual corrals (Briones' 'corralito'), alongside 18 m raptors, 25 m camelids, and 40 m anthropomorphs with lateral pits. Gravel fill technique unique to Camarones—quarts pebbles imported from riverbed 80 m below.
Associated with Camarones–Conanoxa rock-art (Conanoxa 12 km upstream) and coastal Chinchorro mummy littoral (Caleta Camarones site 3 km west, 7,000 BCE). Caravan route nodal: connects Azapa–Camarones–Tiliviche transversal via Tiliviche spring. Dated 800-1400 CE Late Intermediate, with Topa-Inca sherds at figure margins. Terraces threatened by Camarones dam diversion.
Why it mattersOnly Atacama site using imported river gravel fill; links inland caravan geoglyphs to coastal Chinchorro world.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function of double-square corrals—ritual vs real camelid enclosure
Theories
- 01Tarapacá vs Azapa cultural attribution at Camarones divide
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
- Late Intermediate (Arica–Tarapacá)
- Culture
- Camarones–Azapa valley folk
- Builders
- Camarones quebrada caravaneers + coastal fishers
- Purpose
- Ritual corral marking and ravine-oasis wayfinding at Camarones water gap
- Abandoned
- c.1450 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1980s Briones; 2018 Conanoxa UC study; 2022 Chinchorro trail mapping
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1986
Briones records double-square corral type
2018
UCHILE Conanoxa geoglyph–rock-art correlation study
On the ground
Structures & features
19.1920° S · 70.2650° W · 420 m · 2 mapped features
Camarones Double-Square Corral
geoglyph22-m double-outline gravel-filled square corral
19.1900° S · 70.2630° WCamarones North Bank Raptor
geoglyph18-m raptor figure with spread wings
19.1940° S · 70.2670° W