Salar de Huasco East Ridge Geoglyphs (Eastern Ignimbrite Spur)
Huasco Este Geoglyphs · Eastern Huasco Spur Lines
Formative to Late Intermediate (Tarapacá 400 BCE–1400 CE)·Tarapacá caravan (Alto Ramírez–Pica)·🇨🇱 Tarapacá Region, Pica Province, Altiplano Salar de Huasco Eastern Spur (Huailla East), Chile
About
About Salar de Huasco East Ridge Geoglyphs (Eastern Ignimbrite Spur)
8 km east of main lagoon, Tarapacá altiplano. 5 m sun-burst circle with central apacheta. UTA 2021 UAV orthomosaic shows east ridge uses additive basalt cairn + subtractive halo, distinct from south-fan subtractive-only technique. Ceramic footings: Tarapacá Formative 400 BCE–500 CE (Sonzano style) and Late Intermediate 1000–1400 CE llama dung offering lenses C14 1010±40 CE. Avenue aligns 68° to June solstice sunrise over Cerro Huailla, visible 4 km down Pica transect.
Threat: lithium brine exploration trench 800 m south.
Why it mattersEasternmost Huasco sector showing hybrid additive–subtractive technique and solstice alignment.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why additive halo only on east ridge vs south fan subtractive
Theories
- 01Solstice avenue as seasonal caravan timing marker
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.400 BCE – 1400 CE
- Period
- Formative to Late Intermediate (Tarapacá 400 BCE–1400 CE)
- Culture
- Tarapacá caravan (Alto Ramírez–Pica)
- Builders
- Huasco–Pica transect caravaneers
- Purpose
- High-altitude waymark and apacheta ritual on Huasco–Pica caravan corridor
- Abandoned
- c.1450 CE (Inca road replacement)
- Rediscovered
- 2021 UTA drone mapping east ridge extension
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
400 BCE
Earliest llama file
1010 CE
C14 dung offering at sun-circle
2021
UAV orthomosaic 22 figures
On the ground
Structures & features
20.2850° S · 68.8200° W · 3835 m · 3 mapped features
East Ridge Llama Caravan File
geoglyph11–24 m llamas in 180 m file across ignimbrite pavement
20.2830° S · 68.8180° WHuailla Solstice Avenue (42 m)
earthworkDouble-cairn rhomboid avenue aligning 68° to June solstice rise
20.2870° S · 68.8220° WSun-Burst Apacheta Circle
geoglyph5.5 m halo circle with central stone apacheta and dung offering lenses
20.2850° S · 68.8210° W
Gallery