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The Paracas Candelabra, also called the Candelabra of the Andes, is a well-known prehistoric geoglyph found on the northern face of the Paracas Peninsula at Pisco Bay in Peru. Pottery found nearby has been radio carbon dated to 200 BCE, the time of the Paracas culture.^[1] The design is cut two feet (0.61 m) into the soil, with stones possibly from a later date placed around it. The figure is 600 feet (180 meters) tall, large enough to be seen 12 miles (19.3 km) at sea.^[1]

In 2016, it was designated as a national heritage site by Peru, with Peruvian law dictating a jail term of between three and six years for anyone damaging any archaeological monument.^[2]

History

A variety of popular myths have arisen about the geoglyph's purpose and origin, though modern archaeologists generally attribute it to the Paracas culture. Some believe it represents the motif known as a Mesoamerican world tree.

Although the exact age of the Candelabra geoglyph is unknown, archaeologists have found pottery around the site dating to around 200 BCE. This pottery likely belonged to the Paracas people. It is not known whether they constructed the geoglyph.

Mythological Significance

Hinduism

In the Ramayana, there is mention of it as Ketu (Sanskrit: केतुः) (literal meaning: flag of Ananta), during the time when Sugriva was directing his commanders to search for Sita in the east direction. Notably, the western side of Peru is to the east of the Indian subcontinent, crossing Yava Island (Sanskrit: यव द्वीप)^[3] and Plaksha Island.

त्रिशिराः काञ्चनः केतुस्तालस्तस्य महात्मनः।
स्थापितः पर्वतस्याग्रे विराजति सवेदिकः।। ४-४०-५३^[4]

— Ramayana, Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 52

English: "A three-headed golden flag shining on top of the mountain with base at the bottom."
Español: "Una bandera dorada con el símbolo del tadka de ese Mahatma sigue ondeando en la cima de la montaña. Esa bandera tiene tres escudos y debajo de ella hay un altar en la base. De esta manera esa bandera adquiere una gran belleza."^[5]

The next verse mentions that it was set up by Indra to mark the start of east direction, and beyond which it is all west direction.

पूर्वस्याम् दिशि निर्माणम् कृतम् तत् त्रिदशेश्वरैः ।
ततः परम् हेममयः श्रीमान् उदय पर्वतः।। ४-४०-५४^[6]
तस्य कोटिः दिवम् स्पृष्ट्वा शत योजनम् आयता।
जातरूपमयी दिव्या विराजति स वेदिका ।। ४-४०-५५^[7]

— Ramayana, Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 54, 55

English: "It was built by the lords of the gods (Indra) in the eastern direction, beyond it lies the golden mountain 'Udaya'.
The peaks of Mt. Uday will be touching heavens for their height is hundred yojana-s and that divine mountain greatly glitters for it is completely golden, and it is pedestalled with suchlike glittering mountains."
Español: "Devaraj Indra ordenó su construcción en la dirección este, más allá de la cual se encuentra la montaña dorada Udaya.
Su cumbre tocaba el cielo y su longitud era de cien yojanas. El divino altar brillaba en forma dorada."^[8]

See also

• Nazca Lines

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paracas Candelabra.

• http://www.kmatthews.org.uk/cult_archaeology/out_of_place_artefacts_13.html

13°47′40.5″S 76°18′31.31″W / 13.794583°S 76.3086972°W / -13.794583; -76.3086972