Globe > North America > United States > California > Blythe > Blythe Intaglios
Blythe Intaglios
Ancient human, animal, and geometric figures drawn in the earth
Category Outsider Art, Natural History, Rites and Rituals, Lost Tribes
Intaglios, or gigantic human, animal, and geometric figures drawn on the ground's surface are known throughout the American Southwest, South America, and New Caledonia.
While the best-known intaglios in the world are the Nazca Lines in Peru, there are over 300 intaglios in the American Southwest and adjacent regions of Mexico. The best known of the American intaglios are the Blythe Intaglios, located west of the Colorado River about 15 miles north of Blythe, California, and situated on two low mesas or terraces. The figures are believed to have been made by the Mohave and Quechan Indians, are somewhere between 450 and 2,000 years old, and represent Mastamho, the creator of life. The palette of these "drawings" is the earth itself; the artists scraped the dark rock of the desert ground to expose the lighter soil underneath.
With the largest human figure coming in at 171 feet (52 m) long, they are difficult to see from ground level and are best viewed from a helicopter. In fact, the figures are so difficult to see from ground level that it wasn't until 1932, when a pilot happened to look down and notice them, that they were rediscovered by modern society, all of which leads to the question: if the intaglios can only be seen from the air, how did the the Mohave and Quechan Indians see them?
See an error? Know more? Edit this place.
- Address California Highway 95, Blythe, California, United States
33 degrees 48'00.81" N 114 degrees 31'54.91" W 1/4 mile west of California Highway 95 about 15 miles North of Blythe,California
Comments
-
These are almost literally in my "backyard." I live on the mesa these are on and can see the drop down into the ravine from my home. Came here in 1975 (I live on the Arizona side) and used to play with friends right on top of these intaglios and never realized they were even there. Then in the later 70s, they became more known to locals and were fenced off because they wanted to protect them from ATV's and dirtbikes.I guess these intaglios survived a mass number of years impervious to the elements and Time but couldn't stand up to dirtbikes. :P Anyway, it's all pretty cool and I like to tell people about them and I'm sort of proud that I live near them. I was told long ago that "the Indians" (whichever tribe that may have been) used some sort of shellac to keep the gravel from moving after they made the designs. I don't know how true that is but I haven't disregarded it. To the locals, they're known as the Mohave Twins. Thank you for featuring them. :)
-
Anonymous
July 12, 2009
I wonder if they are so old, why in 450 or more years they are not atleast partially covered or deteriorate by dirt, rubbish weeds and bushes and such.?. -
There are many of these figures in Imperial County that run all the way through to Yuma, Az at Pilot Knob.
-
Anonymous
June 17, 2009
They were never meant to be seen by normal humans, but rather by the gods. Supposedly; perhaps, and probably, we will never know beyond mere speculation.
Post a Comment