Off-Road Drivers Are Destroying Ancient Artworks Stretching Across Chile’s Deserts

Within the vast, sun-scorched sands of the Atacama Desert lie ancient geoglyphs—carvings etched into the hillsides more than 1,000 years ago by Indigenous groups in northern Chile. But now, these archaeological wonders are threatened by the wheels of off-road vehicles, whose tracks are erasing pieces of history faster than they can be protected.

Hundreds of all-terrain vehicles descend upon the Atacama Desert every year, riding for hundreds of miles. The vehicles should be able to easily avoid the historic carvings, which can be up to 100 feet long. Large signs in the area point to their location.

Unfortunately, new drone footage shows that permanent damage has been done.

“Where you leave your mark is your decision. Don’t do it on the geoglyphs. Not on the history of this land,” wrote the Atacama Desert Foundation in an Instagram post, per a translation by El Pais’ María Victoria Agouborde.

The geoglyphs at Alto Barranco in Chile’s Tarapacá region have been sliced with dozens of tire tracks. In the photos, the ancient carvings almost look like they have been graffitied over.

According to the Ministry of National Assets, the carvings once served as navigational beacons, pointing to water flows and travel routes. The figures are considered archaeological monuments and include depictions of humans and animals, as well as geometric patterns.

The archaeological site has remained in such remarkable condition due to the dry climate and conditions of the desert. Rain rarely falls in the area, so human activity is the main threat to the geoglyphs’ preservation.

“When we saw the drone footage, we couldn’t believe it,” archaeologist Gonzálo Pimentel, president of the Atacama Desert Foundation, tells the New York Times’ Humberto Basilio. “This landscape has stayed the same for 25 million years,” he adds, noting “just like the geoglyphs, vehicle tracks will remain there.”

Who is responsible for driving over the historic artworks? Unauthorized drivers likely caused some of the damage. However, the area also hosts multiple authorized races spanning hundreds of miles. The Times reports that the Atacama Rally, which held an event at the site in 2022, has denied any responsibility for driving over the geoglyphs. However, one regional official noted that they were unable to check racers’ GPS tracks after the race to see if riders followed approved routes.

Luis Pérez Reyes, an archaeologist and director of the Regional Museum of Iquique, the regional capital of Tarapacá, says that the situation is “desperate.”

“This behavior has been formally reported to the Prosecutor’s Office since 2021,” Pérez Reyes says in a statement, per a translation by Artnet’s Richard Whiddington. “It’s very serious; this damage is irreversible—it cannot be restored.”

In Chile, anyone who damages an archaeological site can face over five years in prison and fines exceeding $14,500. While the recent destruction can’t be reversed, conservationists are hoping that awareness of this loss will deter future motorists and help preserve other carvings in the desert.

“It’s a tragedy,” Pérez Reyes tells the Times, adding: “The intention was never to do it this way—to create a museum of ‘never again.’”

Julia Binswanger | READ MORE

Julia Binswanger is a freelance arts and culture reporter based in Chicago. Her work has been featured in WBEZ, Chicago magazine, Rebellious magazine and PC magazine.