Chala Pampa Coastal Geoglyphs (Caravelí Coast)
Lomas de Chala Desert Lines · Chala Pampa Trap Lines
Early Horizon to Early Intermediate (Paracas-Nazca transition)·Huarato / Gramalote coastal·🇵🇪 Arequipa Region, Caravelí Province, Chala District, Peru
About
About Chala Pampa Coastal Geoglyphs (Caravelí Coast)
Fog-oasis (lomas) fringe geoglyphs on Chala Pampa (180 m) 6 km inland from Pacific, marking guanaco trap corridors between lomas loma fog-meadows and desert. Comprises 22 cleared lines (60-180 m) and 8 low stone-wall enclosures (15-30 m) resembling compressed desert kites but in South American lomas context, plus 14 small circular hollows (2-5 m) analogous to Sihuas circles. Surface ceramics are Huarato and Gramalote (500 BCE-600 CE). Lines are intermittent due to lomas vegetation; only visible in dry season. Studies by Brown & Espino (2022) link them to pre-Nazca coastal guanaco drive systems.
Why it mattersOnly lomas-associated geoglyph/kite hybrid on Peruvian coast.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Hunting vs ritual function
Theories
- 01Lomas caravan boundary
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 - 600 CE
- Period
- Early Horizon to Early Intermediate (Paracas-Nazca transition)
- Culture
- Huarato / Gramalote coastal
- Builders
- Chala fog-oasis hunters
- Purpose
- Guanaco trap guiding and lomas boundary marking
- Abandoned
- c.650 CE
- Rediscovered
- 2021-2022 lomas survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
2021
UAV mapping of 22 lines
2022
Brown Espino guanaco trap interpretation
On the ground
Structures & features
15.8500° S · 74.2500° W · 180 m · 2 mapped features
Chala Lomas Trap Enclosure North
earthwork30-m stone enclosure at lomas edge
15.8480° S · 74.2520° WChala Pampa Central Line
geoglyph180-m cleared line traversing pampa
15.8520° S · 74.2480° W