Nasca lines, Peru
Nasca lines, Peru [Si].A series of large-scale geoglyphs: straight lines, geometric shapes, and representational motifs on the surface of the desert plain in the Nasca region of southern Peru. The straight lines range in size from 500m to 8km in length and are up to 50m wide. The other motifs are up to 1.7km long. All were created by clearing the ground surface of stones to reveal a light-coloured soil beneath. Because of their size, all the images are best appreciated from the air.
Many of the straight lines radiate out from low hills or ridges. The representational motifs include giant animals such as spiders, humming birds, monkeys, and fish. They are similar to images depicted on Early Intermediate Stage Nasca Culture ceramics and textiles, and on this basis the markings are believed to date to the period AD 200–700. Various interpretations have been put forward: ceremonial pathways leading to sacred places; depictions of constellations in the...
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