Geoglyph

A geoglyph is a large design or motif, generally longer than 4 metres (13 ft), produced on the ground by durable elements of the landscape such as stones, stone fragments, gravel, or earth. Positive geoglyphs are formed by arranging materials on the ground, while negative geoglyphs are created by removing part of the natural ground surface. Geoglyphs are generally a type of land art and sometimes rock art, with hill figures designed on slopes to be seen from a distance.

Ancient

Among the most renowned geoglyphs are the Nazca Lines in Peru, whose cultural significance for their creators remains unclear despite many hypotheses. Since the 1970s, numerous geoglyphs have been discovered on deforested land in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, leading to claims about Pre-Columbian civilizations. These were first discovered in 1977, with further discoveries made after aerial surveys. Other notable locations include megalithic structures in the Urals, the modern but mysterious Marree Man in South Australia, and sites in Western Australia and the Great Basin Desert of the southwestern United States.

Hill figures, turf mazes, and stone-lined labyrinths in Scandinavia, Iceland, Lappland, and the former Soviet Union are also classified as geoglyphs. The south of England features several equine and human figures cut into chalk hillsides, such as the Uffington White Horse and the Cerne Abbas Giant, some ancient and others from recent centuries. In Arabia, extensive stone-built structures known as the "Works of the Old Men" have been described as geoglyphs, though this classification may be inaccurate as research indicates most were built for practical purposes like burial, animal trapping, and habitation rather than primarily as art.

Contemporary

Contemporary geoglyphs also exist. The Land Art movement produced works like Spiral Jetty, while many towns in the western United States feature hillside letters.

Australian sculptor Andrew Rogers has created geoglyphs worldwide, including one at You Yangs Regional Park depicting Bunjil, a mythical creature from local Aboriginal culture. Geoglyphic texts and images are common in Central and Inner Asia, though their origins and spread remain understudied. More recent chalk figures in southern England, created since the early 1800s, include the Litlington White Horse and the Fovant Badges.