Camarones Conanoxa South Terrace Geoglyphs (Quebrada Conanoxa Sur)
Conanoxa Sur Geoglyphs · Camarones South Terrace Lines
Late Intermediate Gentilar·Camarones–Conanoxa Gentilar·🇨🇱 Arica y Parinacota Region, Camarones Commune, Conanoxa South Terrace, Chile
About
About Camarones Conanoxa South Terrace Geoglyphs (Quebrada Conanoxa Sur)
South-terrace spur 80 m above Conanoxa tributary floor (560 m), 12 km upstream from Camarones mouth and 1 km south of existing north-bank terraces. Hosts 14 terrace geoglyphs distinct from north-bank: 12–18 m additive stone circles with cleared centers (ring geoglyphs), 24 m camelid, and 38 m rectilinear avenue with side pits. Technique is inverted vs north bank: additive dark-basalt ring walls (30–40 cm high) instead of white-gravel fill; centers left as pale caliche. Associated with Conanoxa rock-art 12 and Gentilar ceramics (1100–1400 CE). Mirrors north-bank figures across 400 m ravine gap, forming visual dialogue.
Why it mattersOnly inverted (additive-ring vs gravel-fill) pair across same quebrada.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why invert technique south vs north
Theories
- 01Dual moiety marking across ravine
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 – 1400 CE
- Period
- Late Intermediate Gentilar
- Culture
- Camarones–Conanoxa Gentilar
- Builders
- Conanoxa south-terrace communities
- Purpose
- Cross-ravine visual dialogue with north-bank terrace shrine
- Abandoned
- c.1450 CE
- Rediscovered
- 2018 UCHILE Conanoxa rock-art correlation; 2021 south terrace recognition
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1100 CE
Earliest ring geoglyphs
2018
UCHILE study documents cross-ravine pairing
On the ground
Structures & features
19.2050° S · 70.1050° W · 560 m · 2 mapped features
South Terrace Ring Cluster
geoglyph12-m additive ring with 0.4 m wall, 1 of 6 rings
19.2030° S · 70.1030° WConanoxa Cross-Ravine Avenue
earthwork38-m avenue aligned to north-bank double square
19.2070° S · 70.1070° W