Camarones North Terrace Geoglyphs (Northern Camarones Bluff)
Camarones Norte Geoglyphs · North Bluff Camarones Figures
Early Intermediate (Alto Ramírez 400 BCE–350 CE) with Archaic midden·Camarones Alto Ramírez valley fishers–farmers (Chinchorro descendant)·🇨🇱 Arica y Parinacota, Camarones Province, Camarones River North Bank Terrace (200 m) near Camarones village, Chile
About
About Camarones North Terrace Geoglyphs (Northern Camarones Bluff)
2 km upstream of Caleta Camarones mouth, overlooking Camarones river gorge incision 80 m deep. 18 figures on deflated Pleistocene alluvial terrace: 13–22 m plug anthropomorphs (Cuya style round-head), 14 m double llama, and 62 m converging trapezoid pointing down-gorge to Camarones coastal springs (lomas). Technique: 4–8 cm Camarones shingle + cleared silty interior with large 40 cm head-boulder. Coastal fog (camanchaca) provides unique lichen-varnish contrast.
Radiocarbon on associated Camarones 9 settlement midden C14 1010±50 BCE Alto Ramírez early but geoglyph foot sherds 350 CE (Alto Ramírez late). Bluff is Chinchorro heartland 2 km from Chinchorro mummies CAM-8. Bluff trail aligns to valley's narrowest crossing — ford beacon.
Why it mattersNorthernmost Camarones bluff linking Chinchorro archaic heartland to Alto Ramírez hill-figure tradition.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Round Cuya head vs Alto Ramírez rhomb head typology boundary
Theories
- 01Ford beacon at narrowest gorge crossing — hydraulic control point
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.1010 BCE (midden) – 350 CE (geoglyph)
- Period
- Early Intermediate (Alto Ramírez 400 BCE–350 CE) with Archaic midden
- Culture
- Camarones Alto Ramírez valley fishers–farmers (Chinchorro descendant)
- Builders
- North terrace Camarones gorge groups
- Purpose
- Gorge ford beacon and coastal springs guide on north terrace bluff
- Abandoned
- c.1000 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1968 Briones Camarones survey; 2021 north terrace UAV
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1010 BCE
Camarones 9 midden
350 CE
Geoglyph foot sherds Alto Ramírez late
2021
UAV maps 18 figures north terrace
On the ground
Structures & features
18.9800° S · 70.2800° W · 200 m · 3 mapped features
Round-Head Anthropomorph File (13–22 m)
geoglyph13–22 m round-head Cuya style anthropomorphs with head-boulder
18.9790° S · 70.2790° WDouble Llama Figure (14 m)
geoglyph14 m double llama with shared body line, shingle border
18.9810° S · 70.2810° WGorge Trapezoid (62 m)
earthwork62-m converging trapezoid pointing down-gorge to coastal springs
18.9820° S · 70.2820° W