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Just outside the Chilean town of Antofagasta, the barren monotony of the Atacama Desert is shattered by what looks like a buried giant reaching out for help.

Mano del Desierto, a 36-foot-tall hand protruding out of the sand, is the work of the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, and was inaugurated in 1992.

Irarrázabal’s work is known for its portrayal of human vulnerability and helplessness — two concepts that certainly come across when viewing the unnerving, half-submerged palm.

The artist has installed other giant hands around the world: his trademark sculptured fingers reach out of Juan Carlos I Park in Madrid, a Venice sidewalk, and the sand of Punto del Este beach in Uruguay.

Visit Atlas Obscura for more on the Hand of the Desert.

Other handy spots around the world:

• This collection of brass hands comes from astronauts, presidents, baseball greats, and more
• The Praying Hands are made from 30 tons of devotional bronze
• Galileo's middle finger sits in a small glass egg at Florence's History of Science Museum

Visit Atlas Obscura for more on the Hand of the Desert.