description Parker Strip Intaglios Overview
The Parker Strip Intaglios are a collection of pre-Columbian geoglyphs located along the Colorado River near Parker, Arizona. These large-scale ground figures were created by indigenous peoples of the Colorado River region by systematically removing the dark desert pavement pebbles to reveal the lighter soil beneath. The intaglios depict various forms, including anthropomorphic figures and animal shapes, and are best viewed from elevated vantage points. They hold significant cultural and historical importance for regional Native American tribes.
help Parker Strip Intaglios FAQ
How were the Parker Strip Intaglios made?
The pre-Columbian figures were made by scraping away dark desert pavement to expose the lighter ground beneath, creating a large image without adding paint or stones. That scraping method is why these Colorado River geoglyphs are also called intaglios. [Archaeology Southwest](https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/exhibit/online-exhibits/from-above/from-above-central-arizona/)
Where are the Parker Strip Intaglios located?
They are associated with the Colorado River corridor near Parker, Arizona, in the Parker Strip and Parker Valley region. The surrounding landscape is tied to the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation and a long record of Indigenous petroglyphs, pictographs, trails, and intaglios. [Parker Area Chamber](https://www.parkerareachamberofcommerce.com/)
Are the Parker Strip Intaglios the same as the Blythe Intaglios?
No, they are separate nearby geoglyph groups along the lower Colorado River, although they belong to the same broad regional tradition of ground figures. The Bureau of Land Management describes the Blythe site as six figures in three locations, including human and animal forms. [Blythe Intaglios](https://www.blm.gov/visit/blythe-intaglios)
What kind of figures appear near Parker, Arizona?
The Parker area includes large ground designs whose exact meanings and dates are not securely established, including a documented serpent geoglyph with rock features used as eyes. That uncertainty is part of the site's archaeology, so it is safer to describe the figures than to assign a single confirmed origin story. [Archaeology Southwest](https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/exhibit/online-exhibits/from-above/from-above-central-arizona/)
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