[Paper Review] Symbolic landforms created by ancient earthworks near Lake Titicaca

Amelia Carolina Sparavigna|arXiv (Cornell University)|Sep 12, 2010

Archaeology and ancient environmental studies3 citations

TL;DR

This paper identifies and analyzes symbolic landforms—such as bird-like structures and geometric patterns—created by ancient earthworks near Lake Titicaca using enhanced Google satellite imagery and image processing. The study reveals a sophisticated network of agricultural terraces and raised fields, with some features exhibiting clear ceremonial or symbolic functions, suggesting advanced socio-environmental integration in pre-Columbian Andean societies.

ABSTRACT

Interesting landforms created by an ancient network of earthworks are shown, using Google satellite imagery enhanced by an image processing. This network covers a large part of the land near the Titicaca Lake. Satellite images clearly display the slopes of hills criss-crossed with terrace walls and the surfaces of the plains covered with raised fields, indicating that this was once a highly productive agricultural place for the south central Andes. Some of the landforms are rather remarkable, having a clear symbolic function. Among them, there are structures which seem to represent birds, where ponds are their eyes.

Motivation & Objective

• To identify and document large-scale, symbolic landforms created by ancient earthworks near Lake Titicaca.
• To investigate the potential cultural and symbolic significance of these landforms using remote sensing and image enhancement.
• To understand the extent and function of the ancient agricultural systems in the region, particularly terraces and raised fields.
• To explore the relationship between landscape engineering and ritual or cosmological expression in pre-Inca Andean societies.
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of satellite imagery and image processing in uncovering non-archaeological features in remote, high-altitude regions.

Proposed method

• Utilized Google Earth satellite imagery enhanced through digital image processing techniques to improve visibility of subtle landforms.
• Mapped and analyzed the spatial distribution of earthwork features, including terrace walls and raised fields, across the region near Lake Titicaca.
• Identified geometric and representational patterns in the earthworks, such as bird-like shapes formed by field boundaries and ponds.
• Correlated the layout of the landforms with known archaeological and environmental data to infer function and cultural context.
• Employed visual analysis to distinguish between utilitarian agricultural structures and those with symbolic or ritual significance.
• Used comparative analysis with known geoglyphs and ceremonial sites to assess the likelihood of symbolic intent in the landform designs.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What types of symbolic or representational landforms are present in the ancient earthwork network near Lake Titicaca?
• RQ2 How do the spatial arrangements of terraces and raised fields relate to broader cultural or cosmological frameworks?
• RQ3 To what extent do the earthworks reflect a combination of agricultural productivity and symbolic expression?
• RQ4 What role did image processing of satellite data play in revealing previously undetected features in the landscape?
• RQ5 How do these landforms compare to other known geoglyphs or ritual landscapes in the Andes?

Key findings

• A vast network of ancient earthworks, including terraces and raised fields, was identified across the highland plains near Lake Titicaca, indicating intensive pre-Columbian agriculture.
• Several earthwork features were found to form distinct symbolic shapes, including bird-like figures with ponds serving as eyes.
• Image enhancement of satellite data revealed structural patterns and alignments not visible in standard satellite views.
• The presence of symbolic landforms suggests that landscape engineering in the region served both practical and ritualistic purposes.
• The study demonstrates that advanced landform construction and symbolic design were integrated into the agricultural systems of the ancient Andean world.
• The findings support the hypothesis that the region was a center of socio-environmental innovation, combining subsistence farming with cosmological expression.