The Nazca Lines
In southern Peru, huge geoglyphs have marked the soil of the Nazca Desert since some time between 500 BCE and 500 CE...potentially by people. These lines number in the thousands and while some are just lines, others depict fantastic animals, fauna, and even strangely shaped people. But who created these complicated, long-lasting designs? And why?
In total, it is believed that there are over 13,000 lines that work to form approximately 800 figures. It is believed, largely, that the Nazca people are responsible for this creation that has lasted eons. They were a prehistoric culture that had many particularly talented engineers.
One of the least ‘woo-woo’ theories that the lines were created in order to bring underground water to the surface for irrigation purposes. Others believe the lines may be connected to the Nazca’s religious beliefs and highlight a path to pilgrimage or other similar rituals.
The first academic study of the Nazca Lines was undertaken by Toribio Mejia Xesspe. He was inspired when he came across the lines, on foot, in 1927. However, by 1930 with an uptick in aviation in the area, the lines became a well-known wonder.
Since the 1930s, many academic and archaeological studies have explored the powerful markings. Maria Reiche, a German archaeologist and academic, proposed that the lines directly mapped constellations found in the night sky. However, even if this is true - what inspired the incredible labor and difficulty of the Nazca people to enact lines on earth that matched those in the sky?
According to Ancient Origins Net, “The most thought-provoking and mysterious of the animal figures is the spider. Entomologists have discovered that the spider design is of a genus belonging to Ricinulei, one of the world's rarest spiders.” However, this spider is not indigenous to Peru and instead lives within a remote part of the Amazon rain forest. According to researchers, the accuracy of the geoglyph is ‘remarkable’ - it even contains the reproductive organs on the end of a leg that is typically only viewable under a microscope. Is that too much of a coincidence for it to be merely a coincidence? Some believe so. But, if it is...how did a spider from the rain forest make its way to Peru?
In addition to these studies, many fanciful theories have also risen to the surface. Some believe that the lines are landing strips for extra-terrestrial spacecraft, or lines drawn by the gods.
To me, one thing I find fascinating is the fact that archaeologists have little to no idea how these lines were created. The lines are massive, stretching for miles, and others (but not all) can only be seen for what they are until viewed from above. How were these lines created? And why?
Perhaps we will never know...or, even stranger, perhaps we aren’t supposed to.
Thank you to Susan K. for this blogstonishing suggestion!
The above image is by Flickr user Paul Williams and depicts the condor from the Nazca Lines. Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)