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Geoglyphs
(land pictures) are usually large drawings that have been etched into
the landscape and are best viewed from above. Many people have heard
about the Nazca Lines but there are many other examples of this art form
scattered around the World. These are the top ten geoglyph sites all of
which can be seen in Google Earth.
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THE UFFINGTON WHITE HORSE
Oxfordshire, England -
C. 1,000 BC
Located near to the village of
Uffington in Oxfordshire, England, is one of the oldest and most famous
geoglyphs in the world. Using modern OSL dating it is calculated that
it was created around 1,000BC. The figure is believed to be that of a
stylised running horse although a review of the original head
structure and curvature of the legs has caused some researchers to
suggest that it actually a represents a large cat from the lion or
leopard family. However, as early references from Abbingdon Abbey,
which date back to 1072 AD, refer to the area where it is found as "Mons
Albi Equi" (Hill-White-Equine) it is generally accepted to be a horse.
What is most remarkable is that the figure was created by carving
through turf to reveal the white chalk underneath. As such it requires
regular maintenance or it will disappear within 150 years. This means
there has been an unbroken chain of people prepared to look after this
prehistoric monument for 3,000 years.
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THE UFFINGTON WHITE HORSE
Location: Nr. Uffington, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Created: c. 1000 BC
Length: 105.5m / Width: 29.5m / Trench Depth: 92cm
(Carving in turf to reveal underlying chalk with additional trenches)
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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THE NEVADO SAJAMA AND GEOGLYPHS
Location: Nr. Nevado Sajama, Jancoaque, Bolivia
Created: Started c. 900 BC
Individual line length: Up to 25 km
Collective Length: Approximately 16,000km
Total Area: 22,525 Square Kilometres
(Removal of surface soil to reveal lighter substrate)
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons |
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THE SAJAMA LINES
Bolivia - C. 900 BC
Although they are now hard to see from
ground level, and do not depict anything recognisable, the lines etched
into the landscape of the Sajama region of Bolivia are almost
certainly the largest geoglyphs in the world. Collectively the lines
measure in excess of 160,000m and cover an area of 22,525 square
kilometres. They are incredibly straight even across uneven and rugged
terrain and form a network of geometric shapes that tend to intersect
at shrines, burial towers and small villages. This pattern has led
archaeologists to speculate that they probably had a religious
significance. The lines were constructed by removing the dark upper
layer of soil to expose the lighter substrate beneath. These geoglyphs
were discovered by western explorer-travellers in the late 1920's and
the earliest written account in English was made in 1931(33) by Swiss
Professor Aimé Felix Tschiffely who rose to fame after riding on
horseback from to Argentina to Washington DC.
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PARACAS CANDELABRA
Paracas Peninsular, Peru
- C. 200BC
The Paracas Candelabra is a geoglyph excavated on
a sandy hillside overlooking Pisco bay on the Paracas peninsular of
central eastern Chile. It is almost perfectly aligned north to south
and can be seen up to 19 kilometres (12miles) out to sea. Based on
pottery found in the area it is believed to be the work of the
pre-Incan Paracas peoples. There is much debate regarding what it
represents as it is unlikely that such highly stylised candelabra were
in use during the period of its construction. Visually it is similar
to some examples of the Atacama Giant Cactus - even down to the fruiting
buds. Author Frank Joseph states with certainty that it is a
representation of a narcotic plant known as Jimson Weed. Some claim it's
a trident while others suggest it was a landmark built by ancient
sailors to help them locate a harbour. Local guides often refer to it
as (Candelabro de Tres Brazos) The 'Candelabra with Three Arms' or even
'The Sign of the Three Crosses" although this is likely to have been
adopted after the arrival of the Spanish. It is remarkable that the
design has survived as long as it has given that the word Paracas
actually refers to high winds and sandstorms - some of which can last
for up to three days.
Traditionally the geoglyph is viewed north to south and from the
coast. However, if the design is viewed from the hilltop, it can look
like a crucifix supported by two diagonal struts and draped with
hanging cloths. It looks as if it will remain a mystery for the
foreseeable future.
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THE PARACAS CANDELABRA
(Also known as the Candelabra of the Andes)
Location: Pisco Bay, Paracas Peninsular, Peru
Created: c. 200 BC
Length: 182m / Width: 76.5m / Trench Depth: 61cm
(Excavation of sandy soil later edged with stones)
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Viewed North to South |
Viewed South to North |
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- Candelabra
- Jimson Weed
- Cactus
- Tree of Life
- Trident
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- Draped Crucifix
- Spaceship / Rocket
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It is generally considered unlikely that this geoglyph is related to the mysterious Nazca Lines located only
160 kilometres to the south west of Paracas. |
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CERNE ABBAS GIANT / RUDE MAN OF CERNE
Location: Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England, UK
Created: 183 AD or c.1650 AD
Length: 55m / Width: 50.5m / Trench Depth: 30cm
(Carving in turf to reveal underlying chalk)
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons |
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CERNE ABBAS GIANT
England - c. 183 AD / c. 1650 AD
Also known as the Rude Man of Cerne,
this huge British geoglyph depicts a naked and priapic man holding a
primitive club in his right hand. It is 55 metres in length and 50.5
metres wide if measured from hand to hand. The geoglyph was created by
carving through the turf of the hillside to a depth of approximately
30cm to reveal the underlying chalk common in this region. The figure
is located close to the village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset, England.
The date that it was made is uncertain. According to the National Trust
there is no record of the Cerne Abbas Giant before 1694 and in 1774, a
local historian, the Rev. John Hutchins attributed its creation to
the owner of the land Lord Holles. Some of the features of the
geoglyph have been lost over time and tests have shown that its left
hand probably once clutched a severed head. Theories about what it
represents range from a political caricature of Oliver Cromwell to an
ancient fertility symbol. Features of the Giant are reminiscent of the
hero Hercules and this has led to speculation that it may have started
as a classical representation and over time the originally smaller
genitals were combined with the giant's navel (belly button) to create
the very masculine figure of today. A significant group of researchers
believe that the figure dates back to the time of Emperor Marcus
Aurelius Commodus who is recorded as being a great believer in the cult
of Hercules to the point of including the hero's name in his own. Some
say that the Roman Governor of Britain, Ulpius Marcellus may have
commissioned the original carving in 183 AD as a tribute to the
Emperor.
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THE NAZCA LINES
Peru - C. 500 AD
The World's most famous
geoglyphs are probably the pictograms and Lines etched into the Pampas
de Jumana in Peru. Recognised as the ancient nation that managed to
'green' a desert the Nazca were also skilled artists and craftsmen who
decorated not only their pots and clothing with fascinating designs but
the entire arid plateau where they lived. From 400 AD to about 650 AD
the Nazca etched countless lines and pictures into the plateau by the
simple process of scraping away the upper layer of reddish soil and
pebbles to reveal the lighter substrate underneath. The first European
to recognise the Lines was American anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber in
1926. The extraordinary scale of the drawings was first identified by
Paul Kosok during the early 1930's. However, the real exploration of
the area was undertaken by his one time assistant Maria Reiche.
Originally a German mathematician, She dedicated her life to studying
the Nazca and was the first person to identify a creature in 1946 which
turned out to be a gigantic spider. Since then hundreds of lines and
more than 30 animals have been recorded including an orca, a new world
monkey, fish, sharks, llamas and several types of bird. The fact that
the geoglyphs can only truly be seen from above has led to significant
speculation that the Nazca had access to some form of aircraft. Some
even more sensationalist writers have claimed that these were meant to
be seen by extra terrestrials. Mainstream archaeologists believe that
they were created for a religious purpose most likely connected to
water and its importance to the agricultural survival of the Nazca.
Follow the link for a detailed review of the mysterious Nazca Lines in Google Earth. |
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THE NAZCA LINES / SPIDER
Location: Pampas de Jumana, Nazca Desert, Peru
Created: 400 AD to 650 AD
Average Trench Depth: 10cm - 30cm
(Etchings created by the removal of reddish pebbles and soil to reveal lighter substrate)
KEY GEOGLYPHS:
Spider, New World Monkey, Hummingbird,
Astronaut, Condor, Heron, Pelican, Dog, Orca, Shark, Llamas, The Hands,
Lizard, Guaney Bird, Flamingo, Parrot, Huarango Tree, The trapezium, The
Spiral, Alligator, Sea plants, shells, mushroom and Catfish(?)
PLEASE NOTE:
It is important to note that some of the
geoglyphs have more than one name and a study of local maps purporting
to show the locations of the drawings can be seriously inaccurate.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons |
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THE BLYTHE INTAGLIOS
(Numerous human and animal figures)
Location: Blythe, Riverside County, California, USA
Created: 1000 AD or earlier
60 Human-like figures
A complex Maze
Animal geoglyphs
Largest Geoglyph - Length: 52m
(Removal of stony layer revealing lighter substrate)
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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THE BLYTHE INTAGLIOS
California, USA - C. 1,000 AD
There are very few examples of large
human-like geoglyphs and these are found mainly in Britain and
America. A more recent example, the Marree Man, has appeared in
Australia but is probably less than twenty five years old. This rarity
only increases the importance of the Blythe Intaglios. Located in the
Colorado Desert of California and 22km north of Blythe are a number of
enormous figures etched into the ground. The largest is a human
figure approximately 52 metres in length. Known as anthropomorphic
geoglyphs they were probably created by the by Native American Quechan
(Yuma) and Mojave peoples and represent the only collective group of
human-like figures anywhere in the world. In total there are
approximately 60 humanoid figures. In almost all of the examples
studied, the chest and torso has been much more deeply etched than
other parts of the body. They were first discovered by Europeans in
1932 AD and are believed to have been created around 1000 AD, but may
well be much older. Archaeologists and historians agree that they are
most likely representations of mythical figures from Yuman mythology.
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THE ATACAMA GIANT
Chile - C. 8,000 - 1,400 AD
The Atacama Desert in
northern Chile is home to the largest collection of pictorial geoglyphs
yet discovered. In total more than 5,000 examples have been located
and recorded. While many of the figures are of animals and humans one
anthropomorphic geoglyph stands out as a mysterious and extraordinary
example of ancient land art. Close to the town of Huara and on the
eastern slope of Cerro Unita is the Atacama Giant - a humanoid yet
robot-like figure apparently created in the Lluta style which tends to
have long narrow legs combined with a square head. At 86 metres in
length (not the 115m often quoted) it is the largest human-like ancient
geoglyph in the world and 31 metres longer than the Cerne Abbas
Giant. It is believed to be a representation of a pre-Incan shaman and
is said to be holding a medicine bag and arrow (quill). The square
face may be a stylised representation of a jaguar mask. Experts have
estimated that it dates from between 800 and 1400 AD with the most
likely date being c. 900 AD. According to some sources the lines
extending from the top of the giant's head represent magical rays and
can be used as an astronomical calendar to predict seasons and
rainfall. It is also known locally as the Gigante de Tarapacá.
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THE ATACAMA GIANT
(Gigante de Tarapacá.)
Possible representation of a Shaman
Location: Nr. Huara, Atacama Desert, Chile
Created: c. 900 AD
Length: 86m / Width: 35.5m / Trench Depth: 10cm
(Removal of surface soil to reveal lighter substrate with some stone edging)
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
"It is worth noting that similarity between
the Atacama Giant and an alien in a space suit continues to be the
subject of much debate. The key point is that the ancient artists accurately represented other creatures they drew so why is the Giant so stylised?" |
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THE BOCA DO ACRE AMAZON GEOGLYPHS
(Partial example of one geometric pattern)
Location: Boca do Acre, Brazil
Latitude:
8°50'38.63"S
Longitude:
67°15'11.95"W
Created: c. 1000 AD or earlier
Number of Geoglyphs: 300 plus
Total Site Area: 25,000 Square Kilometres
Trench Depth: Up to 3 metres
Average Pattern Width: 100-150 metres
(100's of geometric patterns probably the
remains of deep earthworks related to pre-Columbian human habitation in
the region)
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THE AMAZON GEOGLYPHS
Acre, Boca do Acre, Brazil - C. 1,000 AD
While most of the world's
major geoglyphs were first identified many decades ago a new and
surprising discovery in Brazil has forced scientists and
archaeologists to review their perceptions of pre-Columbian
civilisations. Deforestation of the Amazon jungle, particularly in the
southwest, has revealed hundreds , if not thousands, of previously
unknown geometric geoglyphs that are only visible on satellite images.
Circles, squares and interlinking lines have appeared in numerous
places and seem to be evidence of a previously unknown civilisation
that may have numbered more than 60,000 people. Hints of these
markings first appeared in aerial photographs taken during the 1970's
but it was only when archaeologists started using Google Earth around
2006 than the true scale of deforestation and the number of geoglyphs
became apparent. Whether they are cosmetic drawings or are the remains
of towns and roads must still be confirmed. Of equal importance is
whether the area in which they were built was once open land or were
these shapes carved out of the jungle? Believed to date back to
between 1000 and 600 AD some excellent examples can be found on Google
Earth in the fields around the municipality of Boco do Acre, Brazil.
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THE LONG MAN OF WILMINGTON
England - C. 1690 AD
Located near to the town of Wilmington in the
South Downs (hills) of East Sussex, England, the 'Long Man' is a
turf-cut figure of a man holding two staves. Historians are uncertain
when it was created with estimates ranging from around 1690 AD to as
early as 2,000 BC. With a length of seventy metres it is the tallest
anthropomorphic geoglyph in Europe. Over the years aspects of the Long
Man of Wilmington have changed. Drawings made by William Burrell in
1766 show that it once held a rake and a scythe although these were
probably modifications made after 1710 when the figure was recorded by
John Rowley as having facial features and a helmut. In this case the
staves were probably once spears. It is considered a sacred site by
Pagans and was probably a representation of an Anglo Saxon war god.
Local residents of Wilmington are said to believe that it is
prehistoric dating back to the Neolithic period. In 2010 a large
phallus was paint on to the figure similar to that of the Cerne Abbas
Giant. This was swiftly removed.
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THE LONG MAN OF WILMINGTON
(Possibly an Anglo Saxon War God)
Location: Wilmington, East Sussex, England, UK
Created: c. 1690 AD or earlier
Length: 70m / Width: 36.5m / Trench Depth: 30cm
(Carving in turf to reveal underlying chalk)
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons |
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THE MARREE MAN
(Stuart's Giant)
(Anthropomorphic geoglyph of a naked Aboriginal hunter holding a throwing stick)
Location: Marree, Finnis Springs, South Australia
(Said to be just outside the Woomera Prohibited Area an Australian Weapons Testing Facility)
Latitude:
29°31'40.39"S
Longitude:
137°28'7.98"E
Created: 1998 AD
Number of Geoglyphs: 1
Length:
2,616 metres
Width: 2,106 metres
Total Site Area: 5.5+ Square Kilometres
Trench Depth: Up to 20 cm / ploughed soil
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PHOTO CREDITS
With the exception of the schematic of the
Amazon Geoglyphs, The Cerne Abbas Giant and the artists outline of the
Marree Man, all images have been sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Credits
are noted as follows: 1. NASA, 2. CH Images, 3. Charles Gadbois, 4.
Curious Britain, 5. Colegota, 6. Unreferenced, 7. Unreferenced, 8.
Curious Britain, 9. P Brophy, 10. Curious Britain |
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THE MARREE MAN (STUART'S GIANT)
South Australia, Australia - C. 1998
The most recently discovered
anthropomorphic (human-like) geoglyph is the Marree Man of Finnis
Springs, in the 'outback' of central South Australia. It is generally
considered to be a recently created but fairly accurate
representation of an Aboriginal hunter from the Pitjantjatjara tribe
holding a throwing stick. The scale of the figure is enormous and is
approximately 2,600 meters in length (not the 4.2 kilometres stated on
Wikipedia). It was apparently discovered on the 26th June 1998 by
aircraft charter pilot Mr Trec Smith and caused a brief but worldwide
sensation. It is believed to have been created by earth moving
machinery, possibly a tractor and plough, coordinated by GPS
navigational aids. As with almost all other geoglyphs it is surrounded
by mystery and even 15 years after its discovery nobody seems to know
for certain who made it or why. Allegedly a sealed bottle was
discovered near the site containing a note stating that the figure was
'Stuart's Giant' along with a small American flag and a reference to
the Branch Davidian Cult. Another version of the story claims that the
name Stuart's Giant was first provided in an anonymous press release
that referred to John McDouall Stuart a famous Australian explorer who
lived between 1815 and 1886 AD. Other finds near the area linked the
geoglyph to a publicity stunt for the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics.
The reality is that even though the creation of the Marree Man is a
recent event it is already surrounded in confusion, theorising and
misrepresented information. The appearance of the figure also caused
significant controversy when local politicians and aboriginal leaders
who condemned the artwork as landscape graffiti, environmental
vandalism and even the desecration of sacred land. Even though there
were many appeals to have the geoglyph enhanced and made a permanent
feature, the area was closed to tourists and the geoglyph is now slowly
eroding away. It is still faintly visible on Google Earth satellite
images from 2006. At the time of the discovery it was also claimed that
only one track entered and exited the area and that no footprints or
signs of surveying were ever found. Other claims state that wooden pegs
and markers were located along the lines. A buried plaque was
located at the site which stated" In memory of the land they once
knew". An anonymous fax sent in 1999 claimed that the clues to the
creator of the giant figure could be found near the Cerne Abbas Giant,
another naked geoglyph in Dorset England. This never materialised.
The creators of the Marree Man have never been formally identified
although many people believe it is the work of Bardius Goldberg a
somewhat wild artist who died in 2002 from dental septicaemia caused by
a bar fight.
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