Paracas Candelabra
Peru · Americas
A trident taller than a cathedral, cut into a hillside that sailors have steered by for centuries
Age
~2,200 yrs
Period
Paracas culture
Setting
Open-air
Art form
Geoglyphs
Discovered
1939
Status
Open (Viewed by Boat)
On the northern face of the Paracas Peninsula, a candelabra-like trident 170 metres tall is cut knee-deep into the hard sandy slope, large enough to be seen twenty kilometres out to sea. Pottery found around it dates to about 200 BC, the time of the Paracas culture, yet its meaning is unresolved — navigation mark, ritual sign, or the emblem of a god. It is best seen the way sailors always have: from the water.
Gallery
Notable Features
- ◦ The 170 m trident
- ◦ Boat tours from Pisco Bay
- ◦ Paracas National Reserve
Depicted Subjects
Ritual SymbolsGeometric Signs
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.