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Geoglyph

Coordinates: 14°41′32″S 75°8′57″W / 14.69222°S 75.14917°W / -14.69222; -75.14917
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The geoglyph of Cuzco, map E.G. Squier, c. 1860. The fortification Sacsahuman (north of the town) represents the head of an animal (El Puma Yacente, puma lying down), the back, legs and tail of the animal are recognizable in the patterns of the town, the backshape follows a mountainriver, the feet are standing on the shore of the river Sapi
Bunjil geoglyph at the You Yangs, Lara, Australia, by Andrew Rogers. The creature has a wing span of 100 metres and 1500 tonnes of rock was used to construct it.

A geoglyph is a drawing on the ground, or a large motif, (generally greater than 4 metres) or design produced on the ground, either by arranging clasts (stones, stone fragments, gravel or earth) to create a positive geoglyph (stone arrangement/alignment, petroform, earth mound) or by removing patinated clasts to expose unpatinated ground (negative geoglyph).

Some of the most famous negative geoglyphs are the Nazca Lines in Peru. Other areas with geoglyphs include Western Australia and parts of the Great Basin Desert in SW United States. Hill figures, turf mazes and the stone-lined labyrinths of Scandinavia, Iceland, Lappland and the former Soviet Union are types of geoglyph. The largest geoglyph is the Marree Man in South Australia.[1][verification needed]

Modern examples

Not all geoglyphs are ancient. The Land Art movement created many new geoglyphs as well as other structures: perhaps the most famous example is Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson. Many towns and cites in the Western United States use Mountain Monogram on the hills above their locations.

Turf mazes and labyrinths are still being made by gardeners and landscape architects.

Contemporary Australian sculptor Andrew Rogers has created geoglyphs around the world called "The Rhythms of Life". You Yangs National Park is the home of a geoglyph constructed by the Rogers in recognition of the indigenous people of the area. It depicts Bunjil, a mythical creature to the local Wautharong Aborigines.[citation needed]

In 2008/2009 Alfie Dennen created Britglyph, a locative art focused Geoglyph created through participants across the United Kingdom leaving rocks at highly specific locations and uploading media created at each location. When taken together and viewed on the main project website an image of a watch and chain inspired by John Harrison's marine chronometer H5 was created.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ [1] [2]
  2. ^ Dennen, Alfie (2009-03-11). "Britglyph". Moblog. Retrieved 2009-03-17.

14°41′32″S 75°8′57″W / 14.69222°S 75.14917°W / -14.69222; -75.14917

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