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Human and animal likenesses, a knife,
and a sundial are among the "geoglyphs," or giant
figures etched into the earth and discernible from the
sky, most recently discovered in the Peruvian desert.
Peruvian archaeologist Johny Islas and German
colleague Markus Reindel have identified new etchings
made by the ancient Nasca people in the desert valleys
of Palpa, about 460 kilometers (290 miles) south of
Lima. After five years of work, the scientists were able to
identify more than 1,000 new geoglyphs.
The Nasca, whose culture flourished from around 200
B.C. to the middle of the seventh century A.D., made
many of their etchings near the city of Nazca.
But the glyphs identified by the two archaeologists
in Palpa, 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the city,
predate the geoglyphs previously discovered and appear
to mark the beginning of that civilization. Thanks to aerial photographs, the researchers were
able to identify 650 archaeological sites as well as
thousands of geoglyphs, petroglyphs, and cemeteries left
by the Nasca people.
Islas and Reindel also found planks with etchings
similar to the enormous drawings previously discovered
in the desert sands.
"The technique is simple," Islas said. "The straight
lines are traced with stakes attached with a string. The
difficult part is translating the figures to the large
scale while maintaining the correct proportions." The
Nasca people created more than 1,000 figures of varying
sizes, from a sundial 150 meters (500 feet) long to
whales, foxes, and pelicans of 40 meters (130 feet) in
length. They also etched human figures, apparently
representing a family, each measuring 30 meters (100
feet) long. The Nasca created these immense figures in an effort
to differentiate themselves from their predecessors, the
Paracas, whose art was on a much smaller scale.
The geoglyphs in the Palpa valley provide evidence
that a new culture emerged in the region near the start
of the Christian era, bringing with it new methods of
building settlements and a new ideology. The etchings in the desert make up a sacred landscape
honoring water and fertility.
The cultural changes evident from the geoglyphs have
also been noted by scientists studying the more than 600
archaeological sites in the region
"We searched some tombs and in each we
found funeral shrouds, vessels, shells, and necklaces
made of semi-precious stones, but more importantly we
found gold objects" similar to the giant whale figures
etched in the desert, Islas said.
"The valleys of the south are not like those in the
north. The south was a very dry region, almost an oasis.
They only had water in the summer, and the accumulation
of wealth was difficult," he explained.
"But the Nasca managed to organize a society and take
advantage of resources from the ocean and the mountains.
They were truly an advanced society," he added.
The tombs, located in two sites that were large
administrative centers during the first four centuries
of the Christian era, have revealed important
information about the environment, lifestyle, and
religion of the Nasca.
Each tomb is composed of several rectangular chambers
with a labyrinthine structure of walls and passageways
dedicated to the cult of the dead, where people left
offerings and prepared food to sustain the deceased in
the afterlife.
The buildings were adapted to the topography of the
region, creating a large complex of terraces.
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Palpa
Valley Geoglyph Symbols
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