This is the Paracas Candelabra, a gigantic geoglyph etched into the side of a petrified sand hill in the Paracas National Reserve. The symbol is 180 metres tall and has been dug almost a metre into the cliffside.

No-one knows how old the geoglyph is, nor who created it, but pottery found nearby has been carbon-dated to 200 BCE, when an ancient Andean culture inhabited the area. Similarly, no-one is certain what the symbol actually is or its purpose. Despite being called the Candelabra, it’s actually more likely to be the trident of the Incan creator god Viracocha, or perhaps a representation of Jimsonweed – a hallucinogenic plant found in the region.

Tours of the nearby Islas Ballestas pass by the geoglyph as part of the expedition. Our guide spent several minutes explaining the Candelabra’s history and theories behind its origins, before concluding that some people believed the symbol was created by aliens. However, he took care to strongly emphasise that there was NO scientific evidence to back up this explanation.

But then again, if I was an alien coming to Earth and creating giant candelabras for fun, that’s exactly what I’d want people to think…

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Paracas Candelabra, Paracas National Reserve, Peru