Alto Ramírez South Slope Geoglyphs (Lluta Valley South Bank)
Ramírez Sur Geoglyphs · Lluta South Bank Hill Figures
Formative Alto Ramírez to San Miguel·Alto Ramírez–Tiwanaku caravan·🇨🇱 Arica y Parinacota Region, Lluta Valley km 58–62 South Bank, Chile
About
About Alto Ramírez South Slope Geoglyphs (Lluta Valley South Bank)
South-facing counterpart to the classic north-facing Alto Ramírez figures, 1.2 km upstream on the Lluta south terrace (1,150 m). Records 16 subtractive figures on 25° colluvial slope: 12–20 m rayed anthropomorphs with square heads, 18 m raptor, and 95 m linear caravan guide with 7 camelids. Dark desert varnish removal exposes oxidized tuff pale substrate; boulder-enclosed heads (additive eye stones). Dated 500 BCE–800 CE (Alto Ramírez–San Miguel) via associated tumuli ceramics and 2021 UTA OSL on terrace pavement. Functions as reciprocal visual marker visible from north-bank ceremonial platform, suggesting paired valley marking.
Why it mattersOnly paired north/south Lluta marking demonstrating bilateral valley cosmology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why south-facing figures mirror north style despite different viewing azimuth
Theories
- 01Reciprocal valley marking for caravan ascent
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.500 BCE – 800 CE
- Period
- Formative Alto Ramírez to San Miguel
- Culture
- Alto Ramírez–Tiwanaku caravan
- Builders
- Lluta valley caravaneers
- Purpose
- Paired valley wayfinding and hillside shrine marking Lluta mid-valley crossing
- Abandoned
- c.900 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1998 Briones survey south bank; 2021 UTA OSL dating
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
500 BCE
Earliest anthropomorphs on south terrace
2021
UTA OSL dates south-bank pavement
On the ground
Structures & features
18.4180° S · 69.8950° W · 1150 m · 2 mapped features
South Slope Rayed Anthropomorph
geoglyph20-m figure with 12-ray headdress, boulder eyes
18.4160° S · 69.8940° WLluta South Caravan Guide
earthwork95-m linear with 7 camelids in row
18.4200° S · 69.8960° W