Iquique, Chile

Iquique, a Chilean tax-free resort town with lovely beaches, hotels, and a casino sits just west of the Atacama desert that towers above it on a high plateau. Iquique flourished in the 19th century because of its saltpeter mines, and now thrives on its rare minerals, such as lithium. In the nearby desert are extraordinary geoglphs dating back to almost 2,000 BCE.

Geoglyphs are neither painted nor carved. They can represent humans, fauna, flora, or be geometric. Dark stones that pepper the desert and hillsides outline the figures which were created by removing top soil to reveal lighter soil below. Geoglyphs are different from petroglyphs, which are engraved rock carvings.

19th century clock tower and theater in main square.

View of city - and huge sand dune - from highway leading up to the desert.

Travel companion Kendie and Bob admire geoglyphs..

The giant of Tarapaca, considered the largest anthropomorphic Geoglyph in the world with a height of 86 meters, represents the Andean deity Tulupa.