Pampa del Tamarugal Central Geoglyphs (Tamarugal Core Field)
Central Tamarugal Lines · Tamarugal Core Avenues
Late Intermediate Tarapacá–Pica·Pica–Tarapacá caravan·🇨🇱 Tarapacá Region, Tamarugal Province, Pampa del Tamarugal Core, Chile
About
About Pampa del Tamarugal Central Geoglyphs (Tamarugal Core Field)
Core-zone pampa field 45 km northeast of Iquique (1,030 m) between Humberstone and Pintados, on tamarugo flat with 3,000-figure Pintados hinterland. Records 32 horizontal deflation-pampa geoglyphs: 50–120 m straight avenues, 45 m giant 12-m-head anthropomorph distinct from Cerro Unita, and 28 m panel-caravan of 12 llamas. Built by broad-area sweeping (10–15 cm deep) of gypsum-cemented grus to expose nitrate-white substrate; wind fences of longitudinal stone lines prevent burial. Ceramics 900–1450 CE Tarapacá–Pica; 2023 drone LiDAR shows avenue network converges at Pica–Matilla tamarugo grove oasis. Largest continuous flat geoglyph system in Tarapacá, complementing hillside giants.
Why it mattersLargest flat (non-hillside) Tarapacá pampa network complementing Cerro Unita hill giants.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Flat vs hill technique contemporaneity
Theories
- 01Oasis avenue forest-wayfinder
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.900 – 1450 CE
- Period
- Late Intermediate Tarapacá–Pica
- Culture
- Pica–Tarapacá caravan
- Builders
- Tamarugal oasis caravaneers
- Purpose
- Flat-pampa oasis avenue network marking Pica–coast transect across forested pampa
- Abandoned
- c.1550 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1960s Pintados mapping; 2023 LiDAR core-field reveal
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
900 CE
Earliest pampa avenues
2023
LiDAR maps 32-figure core network
On the ground
Structures & features
20.2500° S · 69.6500° W · 1030 m · 2 mapped features
Tamarugal Caravan Panel
geoglyph28-m panel 12 llamas in file along avenue
20.2480° S · 69.6480° WCore Pintados Giant
geoglyph45-m anthropomorph with 12-m head
20.2520° S · 69.6520° W