Salar de Huasco Southeast Piedmont Geoglyphs (Quebrada Sagasca Confluence)
Huasco Southeast Lines · Sagasca Piedmont Figures
Late Intermediate (900–1400 CE)·Pica-San Pedro / Late Tarapacá·🇨🇱 Tarapacá Region, Salar de Huasco SE Piedmont toward Quebrada Sagasca, Chile
About
About Salar de Huasco Southeast Piedmont Geoglyphs (Quebrada Sagasca Confluence)
Southeast piedmont fans 3.2 km from salar at confluence of Quebrada Sagasca ephemeral channel. Fourteen low-relief figures on pebbly pediment: 18–45 m rhomboids, stepped ‘chakana’ cross, and 70-m serpentine line following piedmont contour toward salar. Later style: narrower (0.7 m) and deeper cleared troughs with stacked pebble walls (15 cm) resisting southeast trade-wind deflation. Sparse Pica Charcollo ceramics (900–1400 CE) and coprolite lenses suggest late caravan reuse of Huasco corridor after Formative hiatus.
Why it mattersKey geoglyph illustrating Pica-San Pedro / Late Tarapacá hydraulic/geoglyph/kite/kurgan tradition in Tarapacá Region, Salar de Huasco SE Piedmont toward Quebrada Sagasca.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Late reoccupation after 700 CE hiatus
Theories
- 01Pica caravan revival of Huasco route
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.900–1400 CE
- Period
- Late Intermediate (900–1400 CE)
- Culture
- Pica-San Pedro / Late Tarapacá
- Builders
- Pica-San Pedro
- Purpose
- Piedmont guide figures at quebrada-salar junction
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.900–1400 CE
Initial construction
2020
Drone/UAV high-resolution mapping and heritage inventory
On the ground
Structures & features
20.3250° S · 68.8250° W · 3810 m · 3 mapped features
Southeast Rhomboids Cluster
geoglyphCluster of 18–45 m rhomboids
20.3230° S · 68.8230° WChakana Cross (22 m)
geoglyph22-m stepped cross figure
20.3270° S · 68.8270° WSerpentine Piedmont Line (70 m)
earthwork70-m serpentine line along contour
20.3260° S · 68.8260° W