Salar del Sur Central Playa Isle Geoglyphs (Salt Flat Island Figures)
Sur Isle Geoglyphs · Central Playa Island Lines
Late Intermediate (Atacameño 900–1400 CE)·Atacameño Likan Antai Sur-crossing caravans·🇨🇱 Antofagasta Region, El Loa Province, Salar del Sur Central Playa (salt crust island), Chile
About
About Salar del Sur Central Playa Isle Geoglyphs (Salt Flat Island Figures)
2 m above Salar del Sur winter halite crust, El Loa salt flat interior. 14 figures on island gypsum pavement island 340×180 m, surrounded seasonally by 5 cm brine sheet (June–Aug). 5 m cross-circle (Atacameño ritual). Technique inverted: dark gypsum blocks hauled from isle edge to form borders on white halite island surface — halite seasonal dissolution requires annual recutting (ethnographic Atacameño recut observed 1980s). Island is the only dry camping spot on 45 km Sur crossing (Calama–Sierra Gorda) — caravan pascana with wind-break stone rings (3) at arrow terminus and offering cache of Turi ceramics 1100 CE.
Highest vulnerability: lithium brine pumping threatens halite stability and island isolation.
Why it mattersOnly halite-pavement island geoglyphs globally — ephemeral brine island technique requiring annual recut, unique pascana adaptation.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Annual recut frequency in pre-Columbian vs modern brine regime
Theories
- 01Island pascana as threshold ritual for salt-flat 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.900 – 1400 CE
- Period
- Late Intermediate (Atacameño 900–1400 CE)
- Culture
- Atacameño Likan Antai Sur-crossing caravans
- Builders
- Sur playa Atacameño island pascana caravaneers
- Purpose
- Island pascana (way-station) marker on 45 km Sur salt-flat crossing — only dry isle
- Abandoned
- c.1500 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1980s Atacameño recut observation; 2019 drone maps 14 figures
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
900 CE
Turi ceramics at wind-break
1200 CE
Peak island arrow use
2019
Drone maps 14 figures on isle
On the ground
Structures & features
23.5200° S · 68.7800° W · 2280 m · 2 mapped features
Island Camelid File
geoglyph9–22 m camelids bisecting isle long axis on gypsum-halite
23.5190° S · 68.7790° WBisecting Rhomb Arrow (34 m)
earthwork34-m arrow with dark gypsum borders on white halite, wind-break terminus
23.5210° S · 68.7810° W