Curious Dragonfly Science Newsletter

NAZCA LINESLocated in the Peruvian coastal plain about 250 miles south of Lima, Peru, there

is a collection of giant geoglyphs - Nazca Lines. They are 2000 year old designs

or motifs etched into the ground created by the ancient Nazca culture in South

America. The designs depict various plants, animals and shapes. The lines can

only be fully appreciated when viewed from the air given their massive size.

Scientists have been studying the geoglyphs for over 80 years and they are still

a mystery! It is estimated that they cover 170 square miles and number in the

thousands. They depict creatures from both the natural world and the human

imagination. The animals include a spider, hummingbird, monkey, lizard, pelican

and even a killer whale. There are plants, trees, flowers and oddly shaped

fantastic figures. Also illustrated are geometric motifs such as wavy lines,

spirals and rectangles.

The vast majority of the lines date from 200 BC to 500 AD. The earliest lines

were created with piled up stones, dating back as far as 500 BC. There is a

mystery surrounding their exact purpose and the fact that they can only be fully

seen from the sky. The lines are of particular attraction to new-agers, ancient

astronaut theorists and alien enthusiasts. Much to the frustration of the

anthropologists, archaeologists and astronomers who have studied the lines

and hope to provide a credible answer to their purpose and creation.

Who Made the Lines?Archeological studies show that the Nazca people were the creators of these magnificent drawings. Evidence of that connection is the finding of the same patterns in their art including pottery, and textiles in addition to carbon-14 analysis. They began around 100 BC and flourished from 1 AD to 700 AD. It may be possible that the Chavin and Paracas cultures, which pre-date the Nazca, may have also created some of

the geoglyphs.

What Are the Lines?The lines are known as geoglyphs - drawings on the ground made by removing rocks and earth to create a "negative" image. The rocks which cover the desert have oxidized and weathered to a deep rust color, and when the top 12-15 inches of rock is removed, a light-colored, high contrasting sand is exposed. Because there is so little rain, wind and erosion, the exposed designs have stayed largely intact for 500 to 2000 years. The most likely construction method involves putting stakes in the ground, tying a rope between them, and scraping the dirt off along the rope. This would explain the geometric shape of many of the lines as well as how the Nazca would have kept the measurements for the drawings in ratio to each other, by simply multiplying the measurements of a drawing into rope lengths. Wooden stakes found in the ground at the end of some lines support this theory of creating. The lines were discovered in 1927 by a Peruvian archaeologist after coming across them on foot. In the 1930's as air traffic in the area increased, the lines became better known, eventually attracting a steady stream of tourists.

What do you think the images represent?Why do you think the Nazca people created all the images? And why did they carve them into the land?

A killer whale

A giant spider

The Hummingbird

The Monkey

The astronautThe Owl

Theories About the Nazca LinesTo many archeologist and scientists the origin and purpose of the lines remain a mystery

and an enigma. There are still many pieces of the puzzle that have not been found. There are still many unanswered questions, but many theories have emerged over time.

Alien TheoryThis theory is the most famous approach to solve the Nazca mystery. The idea that a

long time ago, visitors from other stars visited the Earth. At this place they landed, and during the landing, stones were blown away by the power of the rocket propulsion. Later, the Aliens disappeared and left confused people. The people tried to call the

'gods' back by drawing lines, figures and trapezes.

Solar Eclipse TheoryThe Nazca-figures were inspired and intended to be seen by the "Eye of God" that is

manifested during total solar eclipses. An extraordinary series of solar eclipses coincided with the construction of the Nazca Lines. Some lines are aligned with the winter

solstice, a less spectacular but more regular "death" and "rebirth" of the Sun God.

A Memory of the Severe FloodAll of these animals, plants and human-shaped figures are lying together on the ground.

So it could be a memorial place of the big flood. Many cultures of our world talk about a severe flood

Astronomical TheoryThe lines should show the direction of the rising of important stars and

planetary events like the sun solstices. Formations like the spider

and the monkey could show star constellations like Orion and Ursa

Major.

Astronomical CalendarIt is believed the drawing of Nazca

Lines are a giant astronomical calendar. The line-system was used to measure the precipitation value.

Figures, especially the seabirds, have a connection to the meteorological prophecy system of the Nazca culture.

Which theory makes more sense for the purpose of the images?Can you think of any other reason the images were made on the Earth?

Theories About the Nazca Lines

The Need for WaterThe meaning of the Nazca drawings could have been their need for water. The mirage of water in the desert can be seen when the winds subside. The drawings of the desert are covered by this water phantom. This is precisely what the Nazca Indians must have

seen. The multitude of lines in the desert were then ditches to channel the water phantom. The drawings were made by a single line without breaks that could serve as

receptacles for water.

Religious TheoryMany archeologists believe that the lines had a religious meaning and were meant to worship gods who would bring a successful crop. As in other pre-Inca cultures Nazca worshipped mountains and water sources. The lines represent sacred passageways

leading to places where the gods could be worshipped. The drawings were offerings to the gods.

Do you think the geoglyph sites should be protected?What should they do to protect them? Should they continue to let the public have access to view them?

Conservation IssuesUnlike other relics throughout the world, the Nazca lines are largely spared from unintentional destruction, thanks to their location. But the geoglyphs aren't completely safe. In 2009, the Nazca lines suffered the first recorded instance of rain damage. Heavy downpours flowing off the Pan-American Highway - a network of roads that connects nearly all countries in the Americas with a Pacific coast - deposited sand and clay onto three fingers of the hand-shaped geoglyph.In 2014, the environmental group Greenpeace damaged an area near the hummingbird geoglyph during a media stunt. The activists disturbed the upper layer of rocks by the hummingbird when they trampled through the forbidden area of desert to lay down a large sign that promotes renewable energy.And in 2018, a commercial truck driver was arrested after he drove onto a portion of the Nazca lines, etching deep scars into an area roughly 100 feet by 330 feet. The damage caused by the truck driver renewed calls for greater security and surveillance at the sites.

New Geoglyphs Discovered Near Peru's Nazca PlateauA new set of huge mysterious symbols on the ground have been discovered in the Nazca Plateau in Peru. A total of 50 new geoglyphs have been discovered by using satellite and drone images. The images include antrhopomorphic (having human characteristics) images as well as animals and representations of natural phenomena. Some of the geoglyphs are located in the Palpa Valley, several dozen kilometers from Nazca. The newly identified ground

markings are long and skinny - merely inches across and as long as a football field. They are likely made by the Paracas and Topara cultures, which prospered from about 500 B.C. to 200 A.D.Many of the newly found markings portray human figures, including warriors, and are a bit-smaller than other Nazca lines. The Nazca lines are on the flats, and most of the Paracas designs are up in the hilly parts. During their time, people in the towns below could have seen them on the hill sides. The Paracas culture was ruled by priests. The Paracas also constructed pyramids and made key advances in the production of ceramics and textiles.

Engaging Questions!

1. Do you think the Nazca people were the first to use this kind of 'artwork' on the Earth's surface?2. 50 new geoglyphs have been discovered just this year, do you think there are more to be discovered?3. How do you think they were able to create such amazing geoglyphs on the ground without being able to see what they were creating from above?4. Do you think climate change (weather changes) will start to damage more of the geoglyphs?5. What is your interpretation of some of the designs?

Trina Terrellwww.curiousdragonfly.com303.903.5319