This is the most enigmatic giant ground drawings (geoglyphs) in South America. It is best seen from a several miles out at sea. I saw it fairly close (about a few miles to a few hundred yards.) It is etched into a sloping mountainside at Pisco Bay on the Peruvian coast. The figure resembles a candlestick; thus its name “The Candelabra of the Andes.” It is about 600 feet long and is visible from 12 miles out at sea. It also is located in a place that receives less then one-half and inch (or 1 cm) of rain annually. The prevailing winds come from behind (the south). Thus it is protected from wind and rain. It remains today pretty much the way it was over 2 millenia ago.
Archeologists have found pottery nearby which has been carbon dated to 200 BC and part of the Paracas Culture. Its purpose and symbology are in doubt, however one theory is that is was dug as a marker of some sort. Some archeologists say it is merely a trident. It was discovered in 1860. There is also a theory that it is related to a similar symbol found in California’s Cleveland National Forest. The archeologist associates the two candelabras in this way: The ancient inhabitants of Peru voyaged to California to collect Jimson Weed and other hallucinatory drugs. The archeologist believes the symbol resembles the Jimson Weed itself and served as a navigational aid. Hallucinatory drugs were widely used by these peoples in ceremonies and rituals. Please note that the hallucinagens were not used as navigational aids, just the symbol of course.
