Blythe Intaglios

The Blythe Intaglios are a group of giant geoglyphs near Blythe, California, in the Colorado Desert, comprising three human figures, two four-legged animals, and a spiral. The largest human figure measures 52 metres (171 ft) long. Discovered by pilot George Palmer on November 12, 1931, they were created by scraping away dark surface rocks to reveal lighter soil beneath. Radiocarbon dating suggests they were made between 900 BC and 1200 AD, likely by the Patayan people. The Mohave and Quechan peoples identify the human figures as Mastamho, creator of all life. Damaged by WWII military training, they were fenced by the BLM in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.