DESCRIPTION
The Nazca Lines, also known as geoglyphs in the scientific community, are among the most remarkable legacies of Peru's ancient pre-Inca civilizations. Located in the Palpa and Nazca valleys in the Ica region of southern Peru, these massive designs stretch across the desert plains, forming perfectly aligned drawings of animals, plants, objects, human figures, and deities.
The purpose and meaning of the Nazca geoglyphs remain a mystery. Over the years, archaeologists and even paranormal researchers have proposed various theories. Some believe the lines functioned as a giant astronomical calendar, while others suggest they served as sacred water worship sites created by the Paracas and Nazca cultures.
LOCATION
The Nazca Lines are located on the Jumana Pampa, in the Ica region of southern Peru, South America. The nearby city of Nazca lies about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of Lima, at an altitude of approximately 600 meters (1,970 feet) above sea level.
The name "Nazca" comes from the ancient and mysterious pre-Inca Nazca culture, known for its advanced knowledge of engineering, astronomy, and art.
ATTRACTIONS
- The Figures
Numerous figures are found in Nazca, particularly in the Pampa de San José: geometric figures, meanders, animal, plant and human representations, labyrinths, and other geometric drawings.
The most representative are the drawings of animals: birds between 25 and 300 meters long (giant hummingbirds, condors, the heron, the crane, the pelican, the seagull, the parrot and others), a monkey, a spider, a snail, a lizard, a 27-meter killer whale, a dog with long legs and tail, two llamas, etc. In the reptile category, a lizard, which was cut down when the Panamerican Highway South was built, an iguana and a snake. Many of the drawings are mixed with lines and spirals.
Almost all the drawings were made on the flat surface; there are only a few on the hillsides. Almost all the figures that are placed on the slopes represent men. Some are crowned by three or four vertical lines that perhaps represent the feathers of a ceremonial headdress (some Peruvian mummies wore headdresses of gold and feathers).
The figures on the slopes appear less well defined than those in the desert, perhaps because the stones that have rolled down the slope have blurred the details.
- Astronaut figure
More than thirty geoglyphs have been found to date in the Nazca Pampas. The drawings are smaller in quantity compared to the geometric designs that consist of hundreds and hundreds of lines, triangles and quadrangles that occupy large extensions of land. Their construction technique was careful, the surveyors of the past took the lines to hills and ravines without deviating from their original direction.
- Layout
Technically the Nazca lines are perfect. The straight lines enclose a perfection with a few small deviations along kilometers. The drawings are well proportioned, especially if we think about the dimensions of his drawings. "The depth of the lines never exceeds 30 cm and some are simple scratches on the surface, but they can still be recognized when the sun is low and the relief is accentuated", explains Dr. Reiche in one of the many testimonies she left to the world.
Among the largest geoglyphs are: a bird of almost 300 m, a lizard of 180 m, a pelican of 135 m, a condor of 135 m, a monkey of 135 m and a spider of 42 meters. These dimensions are a constant source of admiration for visitors to the area.
Appreciable only from the air
- Spider figure
From the ground, these designs go unnoticed. These lines can only be observed in all their immensity from the air, when flying over the desert at least two hundred meters high. This demonstrates a great geometric knowledge of the ancient Peruvians.
SCHEDULE
Monday to Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Tour (light aircraft or helicopter): $40.00 to $50.00
