In southern Peru lies one of mankind’s greatest mysteries. And what this mystery could be? Well, nothing less than thousands of giant shapes etched into the desert sands. At first it might sound dull, but if you look closely, you will see the Nazca Lines are really an impressive – and mysterious – sight. They are somewhat artistic, spiritual, scientific, astronomical, and what not…
Nazca Lines are one of the most outstanding groups of geoglyphs in the world. Etched in the surface of the desert pampa sand you will see hundreds of figures made of straight lines, geometric shapes and pictures of animals and birds. The most curious thing is that these patterns are so big that they are only clearly visible from the air. Have in mind that these lines were made around 200 BC – 600 AD, wayyyy before the invention of human flight. I always wonder, how ancient civilizations were able to do such things without “technology”?
The lines are shallow designs made in the ground by removing the ubiquitous reddish pebbles and uncovering the whitish ground beneath. Not to difficult right? Now imagine removing pebbles for thousands of figures of up to 200 meters (660 ft) across. The Nazca Civilization must have had a way good reason to go through all that trouble.
Now, what do they mean? Some scholars say the lines point to sources of water, others say some symbols are for fertility, religious sacrifices, irrigation, astronomical calendars, UFO’s, some type of warning for future generations (apparently we are not smart enough for that as they thought we would be) etc… In fact, no one knows for sure, but one thing is for sure… these lines are worth a visit.
The reason the lines are still preserved is due to the dry, windless and stable climate of the plateau and its isolation.
When going to Peru, if you wish to visit the Nazca region, many tour companies offer a fly over with their multi-day tours conveniently departing from Lima. Or you can take a single day Nazca flight from Nazca, Ica, or Lima and see these mysterious shapes from the sky. You can also peek them from a viewing platform right at the edge of the lines.
Enough said, this is one of those places you absolutely have to experience to fully appreciate.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Amy Lauren and Amy Lauren, Norbert. Norbert said: Nazca Lines: Art on a planet-size canvas http://su.pr/8QaExP #su #lp #peru #travel [...]
[...] observatories, a giant map, art? Read a previous post with some of the Nazca theories here.Easter IslandEaster Island –also known as Rapa Nui in the indigenous language– lies in the [...]
[...] or “Candelabro“, a giant figure etched into a desert sandy hill, similar to the Nazca Lines. It is assumed that the Paracas people, who formed a well-developed culture from about 1300 BC [...]
[...] is a great jumping point to visit Nazca, to see the Nazca lines; and the town of Paracas; where the Ballestas Islands are located. (function() {var s = [...]
[...] and the Inca Trail (in a Gap Adventures Tour) and the second half solo in the area of Huacachina, Nazca, Paracas, and Lima. Curiously, these two Peruvian regions have very different climates. The [...]
[...] Not only will be we be stopping in the “big ruins” but also to the ancient cultures at the Lake Titicaca, the city of Puno and at the Nazca Lines. [...]