The Mystery of the Nazca Lines
Ancient religion? Aliens from outer space? Ancient astronomers? A megalomaniac artist? Water sources?
Since discovery by American scientist Paul Kosok in 1939, the lines on the rocky Pampa San Jose near the small desert town of Nazca have perplexed scholars. Originally thought to be the remains of irrigation lines beyond the verdant Nazca valley, it wasn't until they were seen from the air that the lines were recognizable as figures.
The drawings drew the attention of German mathematician Maria Reiche, who worked as Kosok's translator. She studied the lines from the 1940's to her death in 1998. She lived nearby, walked and photographed the lines, drew maps, developed theories, and drew the attention of the world to Nazca. The lines are a variety of geometrical figures, trapezoids, triangles and lines, plus animal and bird figures of hummingbirds, a whale, a monkey, a spider, a bird likened to a pelican, another like a condor, and one called the astronaut. They range in size up to 1000 ft (300m) across and are about 2000 years old.
The lines are thought to have been etched on the Pampa Colorada sands by three different groups: the Paracas people 900-200 BC, Nazcas 200 BC-AD 600 and the settlers from Ayacucho at about 630 AD. The Nazca were potters, like the Moche, and their pottery shows their daily life.
Maria Reiche developed the theory that the ancient Peruvians drew the lines to please the gods and secure their good will. She called the desert an astronomical calendar to remind the gods that the desert was dry and needed water; that crops needed blessings; that the seas needed fish. Later theories, such as Erich von Daniken who argued in "Chariots of the Gods?" that they are the remains of a giant extraterrestrial airport, brought a flurry of students of the paranormal to the area. They came in such numbers that they threatened the lines and the area was made off-limits. Dr. Reiche had guards posted to make sure no further damage was done to the lines. Though they have survived 2000 years of wind and occasional rain, the lines on the desert floor cannot withstand pedestrians, horses and vehicles. The Nazca Lines are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Peru.
The lines are now visible only from the air, which provides the best viewing. The figures on the hills, such as the astronaut, are visible from the ground, and there is the Mirador, a viewing platform along the side of the Pan American highway, where you can see the lizard, hands and the tree, but the best overall sight is from a small airplane, early in the morning. There are a number of charter airplanes in Nazca. You can arrange a flight on the spot, by making arrangements and bargaining on the price with a pilot at the airfield. You can also take a tour from Lima which brings you by bus to the town, and then takes you up. This is about an eight-hour bus trip, so you'll leave very early, arrive in time for lunch and take an afternoon flight. If you don't want to go by bus, you can take an AeroCondor flight from Lima or Ica, 86 mi (141 km) to the north.
However you arrive in Nazca, be prepared for a short, bumpy ride, lasting up to forty-five minutes, over the lines. Turns can be tight, so if you are squeamish or subject to airsickness, you might want to think twice, or plan to stay overnight in Nazca for an early morning flight when the air is a bit calmer. The pilots will take you up, level off around 900 ft (300 m), circle around a figure allowing plenty of camera time, then move on to the next. As you observe the lines, you can wonder about the various theories, including the idea that the ancient culture used them to indicate underground water sources, or the older one that the lines are caused by the physical movement of underground water. The lines aren't the only things to see around Nazca. The museum in town has archaeological artifacts. Maria Reiche's house, in the nearby village of San Pedro, now also a museum, is filled with her personal belongings, her maps, photos, camera, and hand-drawn sketches. She is buried in the garden. The museum charges admission and is closed on Sunday.
Southwest of Nazca on the Pan American Highway, is the archaeological site of Chauchilla Cementery, where the desert is littered with bones and material from burial shrouds. In the late nineties, 13 tombs were excavated and the wrapped mummies inside all face the rising sky. There is an admission fee. You'll need a local guide to take you to two other sites of interest. Cahuachi is an ancient town, ruins only, whose adobe buildings are hard to find. The other site is the vicuña reserve at Pampas Galeras about 60 mi (90 km) east of Nazca. Nazca is roughly 272 mi (440 km) southeast of Lima and 353 mi (570 km) north of Arequipa. There is frequent bus service from either city plus bus or a colectivo from Ica. There are restaurants and hotels in town that cater to budget travelers as well as organized tours.
From Nazca, vistors often proceed to see Paracas and the Islas Ballestas, often called the Galapagos of Peru, and the small town of Pisco, famous for the grape brandy popular as a Pisco Sour. There is another drawing, similar to the ones at Nazca, on the hill overlooking Paracas Bay. via
Since discovery by American scientist Paul Kosok in 1939, the lines on the rocky Pampa San Jose near the small desert town of Nazca have perplexed scholars. Originally thought to be the remains of irrigation lines beyond the verdant Nazca valley, it wasn't until they were seen from the air that the lines were recognizable as figures.
The drawings drew the attention of German mathematician Maria Reiche, who worked as Kosok's translator. She studied the lines from the 1940's to her death in 1998. She lived nearby, walked and photographed the lines, drew maps, developed theories, and drew the attention of the world to Nazca. The lines are a variety of geometrical figures, trapezoids, triangles and lines, plus animal and bird figures of hummingbirds, a whale, a monkey, a spider, a bird likened to a pelican, another like a condor, and one called the astronaut. They range in size up to 1000 ft (300m) across and are about 2000 years old.The lines are thought to have been etched on the Pampa Colorada sands by three different groups: the Paracas people 900-200 BC, Nazcas 200 BC-AD 600 and the settlers from Ayacucho at about 630 AD. The Nazca were potters, like the Moche, and their pottery shows their daily life.
Maria Reiche developed the theory that the ancient Peruvians drew the lines to please the gods and secure their good will. She called the desert an astronomical calendar to remind the gods that the desert was dry and needed water; that crops needed blessings; that the seas needed fish. Later theories, such as Erich von Daniken who argued in "Chariots of the Gods?" that they are the remains of a giant extraterrestrial airport, brought a flurry of students of the paranormal to the area. They came in such numbers that they threatened the lines and the area was made off-limits. Dr. Reiche had guards posted to make sure no further damage was done to the lines. Though they have survived 2000 years of wind and occasional rain, the lines on the desert floor cannot withstand pedestrians, horses and vehicles. The Nazca Lines are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Peru.
The lines are now visible only from the air, which provides the best viewing. The figures on the hills, such as the astronaut, are visible from the ground, and there is the Mirador, a viewing platform along the side of the Pan American highway, where you can see the lizard, hands and the tree, but the best overall sight is from a small airplane, early in the morning. There are a number of charter airplanes in Nazca. You can arrange a flight on the spot, by making arrangements and bargaining on the price with a pilot at the airfield. You can also take a tour from Lima which brings you by bus to the town, and then takes you up. This is about an eight-hour bus trip, so you'll leave very early, arrive in time for lunch and take an afternoon flight. If you don't want to go by bus, you can take an AeroCondor flight from Lima or Ica, 86 mi (141 km) to the north.However you arrive in Nazca, be prepared for a short, bumpy ride, lasting up to forty-five minutes, over the lines. Turns can be tight, so if you are squeamish or subject to airsickness, you might want to think twice, or plan to stay overnight in Nazca for an early morning flight when the air is a bit calmer. The pilots will take you up, level off around 900 ft (300 m), circle around a figure allowing plenty of camera time, then move on to the next. As you observe the lines, you can wonder about the various theories, including the idea that the ancient culture used them to indicate underground water sources, or the older one that the lines are caused by the physical movement of underground water. The lines aren't the only things to see around Nazca. The museum in town has archaeological artifacts. Maria Reiche's house, in the nearby village of San Pedro, now also a museum, is filled with her personal belongings, her maps, photos, camera, and hand-drawn sketches. She is buried in the garden. The museum charges admission and is closed on Sunday.
Southwest of Nazca on the Pan American Highway, is the archaeological site of Chauchilla Cementery, where the desert is littered with bones and material from burial shrouds. In the late nineties, 13 tombs were excavated and the wrapped mummies inside all face the rising sky. There is an admission fee. You'll need a local guide to take you to two other sites of interest. Cahuachi is an ancient town, ruins only, whose adobe buildings are hard to find. The other site is the vicuña reserve at Pampas Galeras about 60 mi (90 km) east of Nazca. Nazca is roughly 272 mi (440 km) southeast of Lima and 353 mi (570 km) north of Arequipa. There is frequent bus service from either city plus bus or a colectivo from Ica. There are restaurants and hotels in town that cater to budget travelers as well as organized tours.
From Nazca, vistors often proceed to see Paracas and the Islas Ballestas, often called the Galapagos of Peru, and the small town of Pisco, famous for the grape brandy popular as a Pisco Sour. There is another drawing, similar to the ones at Nazca, on the hill overlooking Paracas Bay. via
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1 comments:
I believe the Nazca lines are one of the few items left behind by advanced civilizations that are so old, little trace is left of them. They could be Atlanteans, the Anunaki, who knows.
Recent discoveries points to mankind being older than once thought, and also that there were more advanced civilizations in the long distant past, probably almost wiped out by catastrophies, including the flood and ice ages. Stories from those days remain as myths and legends.
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