Use of the Landscape as a Route Marker and Symbolism Associated with the Geoglyphs of the Middle Casma River Valley, Peru.

Summary

This is an abstract from the "The Value of Rock Art: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Current Rock Art Documentation, Research and Analysis Part II" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Recent investigations in the middle Casma River valley have uncovered a series of geoglyphs used as guides and markers within a desert landscape crisscrossed by pathways. This landscape likely hosted fertility-related rituals by valley populations. Unfortunately, this valuable cultural heritage is under threat from expanding agriculture and illegal mining.

With the discovery of over 200 geoglyphs, this area ranks among the largest concentrations of geoglyphs after Nasca and Palpa. These geoglyphs have been identified through satellite imagery and aerial drone mapping.

One significant geoglyph is a serpent-shaped figure created using both positive (clearing) and negative (addition) techniques. This geoglyph connects the Formative site of Pampa de las Llamas to a large rock at the base of a nearby ravine. Another notable discovery is a Moche-style erotic vessel, found near a path leading to a geoglyph field. This vessel offers one of the earliest examples linking geoglyphs with fertility rituals on the Peruvian coast, emphasizing that much remains to be investigated in the arid areas surrounding key archaeological sites.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• The Value of Rock Art: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Current Rock Art Documentation, Research and Analysis Part II

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 52054