Nazca Lines (archaeological site), Peru
The Nazca Lines are a remarkable collection of large geoglyphs etched into the desert plains of southern Peru, created by the Nazca culture between 200 BCE and 500 CE. These designs, numbering nearly 1,200, include 800 straight lines, 300 geometric patterns, and approximately 70 depictions of various animals, plants, and human figures. Spanning an area of about 170 square miles, the longest of these lines stretches nearly 30 miles. The true purpose behind the Nazca Lines remains a topic of debate among researchers, with hypotheses ranging from astronomical alignments to ritualistic functions linked to agricultural cycles and fertility.
The Nazca culture, which thrived in the arid Ica and Nazca valleys, was characterized by its intricate system of underground aqueducts to manage scarce water resources. Their religious practices centered around significant sites like Cahuachi, where ceremonies and pilgrimages took place. Despite the challenges posed by natural disasters, the Nazca people's spiritual beliefs were deeply intertwined with their environment, reflecting a reverence for natural elements. The lines, fragile yet enduring thanks to the region's stable climate, are considered an important cultural heritage that continues to intrigue archaeologists and visitors alike.
Subject Terms
Nazca Lines (archaeological site), Peru
The Nazca Lines are a collection of giant geometric patterns that were inscribed into the coastal desert plains of southern Peru by the Nazca culture. They were created between 200 BCE and 500 CE by scratching shallow indentations into the ground. By shifting the thin outermost layer of dirt and pebbles, a lighter color beneath was exposed. Almost 1,200 shapes and lines are inscribed into the desert. This includes 800 straight lines, 300 geometric patterns, and 70 depictions of animals, people, and plants. The longest lines stretch for almost 30 miles (48 kilometers). The lines are spread across a region that spans 170 square miles (450 square kilometers) in area.
Although some lines are visible from nearby hills, the full size, scope, and complexity of these lines were unknown until aerial observation of the region occurred in the twentieth century. Researchers have offered many hypotheses to explain the function of the Nazca Lines; however, their true purpose remains uncertain.
Nazca Culture
The creators of the Nazca Lines were the Nazca (or Nasca) peoples. This culture prospered between 200 BCE and 600 CE. The Nazca peoples were descended from the Paracas culture that flourished in the same area from 900 to 200 BCE. The Paracas and Nazca cultures were centered in the Ica and Nazca valleys in southern Peru.
The Nazca do not seem to have been a single centralized political state; rather, the Nazca apparently consisted of a series of culturally linked chiefdoms that united for economic and political purposes. As a collective group, they may have numbered no more than twenty-five thousand people at their peak. They were limited by the short supply of water in their homelands. To compensate for their arid environment, they built a complex system of underground aqueducts where water was less likely to evaporate. Despite their innovations, their lands were subject to frequent droughts, earthquakes, and flash floods, making life very difficult.
Their religious capital at Cahuachi on the Nazca River was not inhabited year-round despite having a natural source of water. Instead, it was a site of religious pilgrimage where the Nazca conducted ceremonial practices. In particular, Cahuachi was used as a gravesite by the Nazca for several centuries. While some graves had offerings dedicated to the deceased, the Nazca burials are far less ornate than that of other nearby cultures, such as the Inca, Moche, and Chimú. The Pampa de San José, where many of the Nazca Lines are located, is found nearby.
Although the belief systems and cultural practices of the Nazca are less understood in comparison to the more celebrated Inca, archaeologists believe their religious rituals were as elaborate as other Andean cultures. Their heightened dependence on renewable water sources was reflected in their spiritual beliefs. In deference to the importance of the environment to their civilization, they worshipped gods that were representations of the natural world. They believed that supernatural forces controlled the weather patterns that were vital to their survival. Major rituals centered upon planting and harvesting. Their chief deity was a figure who contemporary scientists call the Oculate Being due to his enormous eyes. He is often represented as flying over the Nazca, and he may have been one of the gods for whom the lines were intended.
Prolonged droughts that affected the region between 540 and 560 CE and then again between 570 and 610 CE likely contributed to the decline of the Nazca culture. The impact of these natural disasters combined with the growing influence of the Wari people led to their eventual conquest.
Brief History
The Nazca Lines were first studied by Peruvian archaeologist Toribio Mejia Xesspe in 1926. It was not until commercial pilots began flying over the region in the 1930s that the enormity of their size and numbers became evident. In 1941, American researcher Paul Kosok discovered that several of the lines aligned with celestial events such as the winter solstice. Perhaps the figure most associated with the study of the Nazca Lines was German archaeologist Maria Reiche, who analyzed the patterns and shapes of the lines for forty years. Reiche became convinced that the lines were used for astronomical and calendrical purposes by the Nazca. Her ideas formed the basis for several enduring theories about the lines, although many scientists and archaeologists have argued that they had more complex social-religious purposes beyond charting the stars. Beginning in the 1970s, scientists began to use more modern techniques to analyze both how the Nazca created the lines and their potential functions.
Design and Function
The Nazca Lines are geoglyphs, meaning that they are patterns that have been etched into the hard landscape. As the Nazca lines were scratched into the ground by simply shifting small amounts of pebbles and dirt, they are very fragile. They have been protected over the eons by the relatively static environment of the Nazca Desert. The area sees little wind or rain, so the lines have been able to remain intact. The rocks in this area oxidized so that the topmost layer is cast in a distinctive rusty color. The Nazca shifted approximately between 4 and 15 inches (10 to 38 centimeters) of rock, which exposed the lighter sand underneath. The result is a series of lines that look like chalk marks against a darker background. The lines were made using simple practices. The Nazca placed pegs (the remains of which have been found at the ends of several lines) into one end of a line. Using basic surveying techniques, the Nazca could create the lines and patterns with only a limited amount of effort.
Most of the lines are simple straight pathways. However, the Nazca created more complicated designs, including human figures, plants, spirals, triangles, rectangles, and wave-like curves. Perhaps the most famous designs include abstract images of indigenous animals. These include a monkey, lizard, hummingbirds, pelican, spider, and killer whale. The total length of the lines has been estimated at more than 800 miles (1,300 kilometers).
Given the lengthy time span over which they were constructed, it is likely that they served more than a single function. Studies conducted in the twenty-first century have suggested that many lines likely had a ceremonial purpose. Some may have associations with fertility rites, while others were used in rituals in which priests asked the gods to bring water to the Nazca. For instance, spiders and monkeys are symbolically associated with rain in several Andean cultures, while hummingbirds are linked to the fertility of the harvest. The straight lines may simply have been used to direct the Nazca to locations where such rituals were traditionally held.
Bibliography
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