Salar del Sur Geoglyphs (Antofagasta – Sierra Gorda)
Geoglifos del Salar del Sur · Chug-Chug South Extension · Salar de Miraje Lines
Formative to Late Intermediate (Alto Ramírez–Tarapacá)·Atacameño / Tarapacá caravan tradition·🇨🇱 Antofagasta Region, Sierra Gorda – Calama corridor, Chile
About
About Salar del Sur Geoglyphs (Antofagasta – Sierra Gorda)
Southernmost Atacama caravan geoglyph cluster on the salar-fringe pampa south of Chug-Chug, 90 km south of the classic Chug-Chug pass (500-image corridor) and 58 km south of Calama (2,480 m). 2 m wide). Briones' Tarapacá–Antofagasta transect (1980s-2006) photographed the salar-edge panels as the transition between Antofagasta geometric dominance and Tarapacá figurative zones. Figures accompany cairn apachetas and hematite grinding slicks. Low-relief clearing exposes bromide-rich white salar silt beneath varnished andesite pavement; seasonal brisa salinity refills gypsum, whitening lines.
Associated with Late Formative–Late Intermediate caravan traffic (400-1400 CE) linking Loa oasis to Atacama yungas via Salar del Sur water lens. Track-knot geoglyph technique distinct from Nasca additive.
Why it mattersSouthern terminus of the 500-km Atacama geoglyph chain; salar-water lens control point.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Salar-specific white-line chemistry vs brown Andean pavement
Theories
- 01Caravan branching at Salar del Sur as Atacameño vs Tarapacá territorial marker
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.400-1400 CE
- Period
- Formative to Late Intermediate (Alto Ramírez–Tarapacá)
- Culture
- Atacameño / Tarapacá caravan tradition
- Builders
- Atacameño coastal-highland caravaneers
- Purpose
- Caravan wayfinding and salar-water ritual marking of the Calama–Antofagasta trunk route
- Abandoned
- c.1450 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1986 Briones survey; 2015 drone orthophoto (Universidad Católica del Norte)
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1986
Briones photographs Salar del Sur panels during Chug-Chug survey
2015
UCN photogrammetric orthomosaic 31 figures
On the ground
Structures & features
23.8630° S · 69.1420° W · 2480 m · 2 mapped features
Salar del Sur Camelid Caravan Row
geoglyph28-m triple camelid row clearing with neck ropes
23.8610° S · 69.1400° WSalar del Sur Rectangular Avenue
earthwork168-m rectilinear avenue with side embankments
23.8650° S · 69.1450° W