Known as the Sajama Lines, the geoglyphs lie in the shadow of the Nevado Sajama volcano, Bolivia’s highest peak, and cover a massive 22,525 square kilometers. That’s about 15 times larger than the area covered by the Nazca Lines in neighboring Peru.
Thousands of lines intersect in a seemingly intricate web. However, it is clear that they were made with a clear purpose. The interconnecting lines continue for 16,000 kilometers and display an extraordinary smoothness from start to finish.
Given its massive scale, the Sajama Stripes can sometimes be called the world’s greatest work of art, and sometimes called the Map of the Gods. Some archaeologists claim that the Sajama Lines were used as a way to lead people to scarce water sources in the area.
According to another view, these roads were interspersed with a series of temples, cemeteries and small settlements, thus guiding people on a spiritual pilgrimage.
There are some speculations that the Sajama Lines are linked to the Nazca Lines. Perhaps both were created by similar cultures with close ties to each other.
While it’s not clear who made the Sajama Stripes, the people of Carangas are the most likely, according to a 2016 study. The Carangas people lived in this region of the Southern Andes during the Late Period, between 1,000 AD and 1476 AD, where most scholars believe the stripes formed.
However, the exact story of their origin still remains a mystery.
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