Salar de Huasco West Bajada Geoglyphs (Western Alluvial Bajada)
Huasco Oeste Figures · Pampa de Huasco West Lines
Late Archaic to Formative (1100 BCE–650 CE)·Tarapacá caravan / Alto Ramírez·🇨🇱 Tarapacá Region, Pica Province, Salar de Huasco West Margin, Chile
About
About Salar de Huasco West Bajada Geoglyphs (Western Alluvial Bajada)
Western bajada geoglyphs 1.7 km west of Salar de Huasco on gently sloping (2.5°) fossil alluvial fan with dark-auburn varnished ignimbrite pavement. Twelve cleared figures: 15–28 m camelid caravan rows oriented 285° toward salar bofedal, 55-m rectilinear avenue (2.4 m wide) and wedge-shaped ‘pointer’ (18 m). University of Tarapacá 2021 drone orthomosaic (0.03 m GSD) shows superimposition of two phases: early pecked outline (Late Archaic) overlaid by cleared interior (Formative). Llama coprolite cache and Alto Ramírez ceramics at avenue terminus. Halite efflorescence preserves edges; threatened by exploration track braid.
Why it mattersKey geoglyph illustrating Tarapacá caravan / Alto Ramírez hydraulic/geoglyph/kite/kurgan tradition in Tarapacá Region, Pica Province, Salar de Huasco West Margin.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Dual-phase superimposition chronology
Theories
- 01West approach waymarker for salar crossing
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.1100 BCE–650 CE
- Period
- Late Archaic to Formative (1100 BCE–650 CE)
- Culture
- Tarapacá caravan / Alto Ramírez
- Builders
- Tarapacá caravan
- Purpose
- Caravan wayfinding and ritual offering on west bajada approach to salar
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.1100 BCE–650 CE
Initial construction
2020
Drone/UAV high-resolution mapping and heritage inventory
On the ground
Structures & features
20.3150° S · 68.8750° W · 3785 m · 3 mapped features
West Camelid Caravan (18 m)
geoglyph15–18 m camelid row heading 285°
20.3120° S · 68.8730° WBajada Rectilinear Avenue (55 m)
earthwork55-m cleared avenue 2.4 m wide
20.3180° S · 68.8780° WWedge Pointer (18 m)
geoglyph18-m wedge pointer toward bofedal
20.3160° S · 68.8760° W