Pisco Valley Geoglyphs
Pisco–Humay Geoglyphs · Pisco–Paracas Lines
Early Intermediate (Topará / Early Nazca)·Paracas-Topará / Early Nazca·🇵🇪 Ica Region, Pisco Valley, Peru
About
About Pisco Valley Geoglyphs
A dispersed ensemble of 30+ linear and trapeziform geoglyphs on the pampas flanking the middle Pisco River between Humay and Independencia. Figures include 45–80 m trapezoids, 18-m anthropomorphs with bowed legs and 600-m straight avenues converging on a low hill cairn. The geoglyphs share Paracas–Nazca pavement technology but occupy an inland riverine oasis corridor rather than the coastal Pampa Colorada, suggesting a riverine caravan marking system. INGEMMET satellite analysis and PUCP 2020 transects dated the cluster to Early Intermediate (200 BCE–300 CE) via associated Topará and Early Nazca ceramics, with superposition showing trapezoid re-cutting.
Why it mattersInland counterpart to Nazca–Palpa showing riverine adaptation of geoglyph tradition.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Caravan vs irrigation boundary function
Theories
- 01Valley caravan waypoints
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.200 BCE – 300 CE
- Period
- Early Intermediate (Topará / Early Nazca)
- Culture
- Paracas-Topará / Early Nazca
- Builders
- Pisco valley oasis communities
- Purpose
- Riverine caravan route and ritual marking
- Abandoned
- c.500 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1960s Engel survey; 2020 INGEMMET satellite re-mapping
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
200 BCE
Earliest trapezoids with Topará sherds
2020
INGEMMET/Pontificia maps 30 lines by Sentinel-2
On the ground
Structures & features
13.7100° S · 75.9500° W · 410 m · 2 mapped features
Central Trapezoid (T-3)
geoglyph68-m trapezoid with cairn apex
13.7090° S · 75.9510° WWestern Avenue
earthwork600-m straight avenue to hill cairn
13.7120° S · 75.9530° W