The Nazca Lines: Mysteries of the Giant Geoglyphs

Summary

The Nazca Lines, a collection of mysterious geoglyphs in Peru, span 450 square kilometers of desert. Created by the ancient Nazca civilization, these vast drawings of animals, humans, and geometric shapes remain a puzzle to archaeologists. Theories about their purpose range from religious paths and astronomical calendars to water rituals. Speculations also include extraterrestrial involvement, though scholars have debunked these claims. Recent discoveries, including new geoglyphs found with AI and drones, continue to intrigue researchers. Despite various hypotheses, the true purpose behind the Nazca Lines remains an unsolved mystery.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Nazca Valley is a vast desert plain in Peru, notable for its flat, dry landscape and sheltered from wind and rain.
• 🦅 The Nazca Lines are an extensive collection of geoglyphs, created by the ancient Nazca civilization, depicting animals, geometric shapes, and mythical creatures.
• 👣 The geoglyphs are divided into two categories: biomorphs (animal and human-like shapes) and abstract geometric patterns.
• 🔎 The lines were created by removing the top layer of reddish pebbles to reveal a lighter substratum, often using ropes and stakes for precision.
• 🕵️‍♀️ The lines remained undiscovered by the modern world until 1926 when archaeologist Torubio Mejía Xesspe spotted them from nearby hills.
• 👩‍🔬 Maria Reiche, a German archaeologist, dedicated her life to studying and preserving the Nazca Lines, earning the nickname 'Lady of the Lines.'
• 👽 Theories about the lines range from alien landing strips to astronomical maps, but no conclusive explanation has been agreed upon.
• 🌟 Some researchers propose that the lines served ceremonial purposes, while others believe they were a calendar or water-related symbols.
• 📊 Modern technologies like drones and AI have helped uncover more geoglyphs and provided new insights into their purpose and age.
• 🗿 New geoglyph discoveries, like a 37-meter-long cat and an orca with a human arm, continue to deepen the mystery surrounding the Nazca Lines.

Q & A

What are the Nazca Lines and where are they located?

The Nazca Lines are a collection of hundreds of geoglyphs located about 400 kilometers south of Lima, Peru. They cover an area of approximately 450 square kilometers across the desert plains by the Rio Grande, Nazca, and the Pampa of Jumana.

What are geoglyphs, and how do they differ in the Nazca Lines?

Geoglyphs are large drawings or symbols carved onto the surface of the Earth. The Nazca Lines can be divided into two categories: 'biomorphs,' which are representational shapes depicting animals, birds, insects, plants, and humanoid figures; and abstract geometrical shapes, including straight lines, spirals, mazes, and patterns.

Who created the Nazca Lines, and when did they originate?

The Nazca Lines were created by the pre-Columbian Nazca civilization. The geoglyphs are believed to have originated around 500 BC during the Nazca society's middle period, and they continued to be made until around 580 AD.

What methods did the Nazca people use to create the geoglyphs?

The Nazca people created the geoglyphs by removing the top layer of reddish oxidized pebbles to reveal a clearer substratum of sand and dirt. They used simple tools like ropes, poles, and stakes to create straight lines, circles, and curves, often enlarging smaller sketches into larger designs.

What role did Maria Reiche play in the study and preservation of the Nazca Lines?

Maria Reiche was a German researcher who dedicated her life to studying and preserving the Nazca Lines. She helped protect them from intruders, weather, and sand deposits, earning her the nickname 'the Lady of the Lines' and 'the Lady of the Broom' due to her efforts to sweep and clean the geoglyphs.

What are some of the main theories about the purpose of the Nazca Lines?

Theories about the purpose of the Nazca Lines include their use as religious or ceremonial pathways, astronomical calendars to mark agricultural events, water-related rituals, and even as markers to attract the benevolence of gods. Some theories also suggest that they served as markers for travelers or were linked to fertility and abundance of crops.

Why do some researchers believe the Nazca Lines are connected to astronomical events?

Researchers like Paul Kosok and Maria Reiche proposed that the Nazca Lines might have been used as an astronomical calendar, with certain lines aligning with the sunrise on solstices or representing constellations. For example, the hummingbird's beak aligns with the sunrise on the December solstice.

What is the extraterrestrial theory about the Nazca Lines, and who proposed it?

The extraterrestrial theory suggests that the Nazca Lines were created with the assistance or influence of alien beings. Swiss author Erich von Däniken proposed that the lines were landing fields for extraterrestrial spacecraft, and later, Reverend Sean Malone suggested they were made by the 'Orion Group,' an alien force that marks Earth as a hunting ground.

What was Jim Woodman's theory about how the Nazca people created the geoglyphs, and how was it tested?

Jim Woodman theorized that the Nazca people used hot air balloons to guide their creation of the geoglyphs from above. To test this theory, he crafted a balloon using materials available to the Nazca people and attempted a test flight. Although the balloon initially worked, it soon lost altitude, and the experiment ended with Woodman and his partner bailing out.

What recent discoveries have been made regarding the Nazca Lines, and how have they contributed to our understanding?

Recent discoveries include the identification of 143 new geoglyphs by a Japanese research team using fieldwork, high-resolution 3D data, and AI technology. These findings revealed more details about the bird figures and suggested that some of the geoglyphs served as ritual places or wayposts for travelers. In 2020, a 37-meter-long cat geoglyph was also discovered, adding to the variety of figures known.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Nazca Valley: A Mysterious Landscape

The Nazca Valley, a flat, dry expanse sheltered by wind and rarely graced by rain, may seem unremarkable at first glance. However, ancient civilizations transformed this barren canvas into a giant archaeological monument known as the Nazca Lines, with functions that remain mysterious. These geoglyphs, some resembling mythical creatures and possibly serving as astronomical maps, continue to intrigue historians and researchers today.

05:01

🦅 The Nazca Geoglyphs: Biomorphs and Geometrical Wonders

The Nazca Lines are located 400 kilometers south of Lima, Peru, spanning 450 square kilometers across desert plains. The geoglyphs fall into two categories: biomorphs (depicting animals, insects, and humanoid figures) and geometrical shapes. Among the best-known biomorphs are the monkey, the condor, the spider, and the hummingbird. The geometrical lines stretch for kilometers, forming patterns and mazes that hold great significance for the Nazca civilization, believed to have created them around 500 BC.

10:01

👩‍🏫 Rediscovering the Nazca Lines: From Conquistadors to Researchers

The Nazca Lines were first mentioned in 1553 by Spanish conquistador Pedro Ciesa de Leon, but it wasn’t until 1926 that Peruvian archaeologist Torubio Mayor Xepay brought them to modern attention. His work inspired further research by American historian Paul Kosok and German archaeologist Maria Reiche, known as the 'Lady of the Lines.' Reiche dedicated her life to studying and preserving the geoglyphs, earning fame for her tireless efforts, even sweeping the lines herself.

15:04

👽 Alien Theories: Were the Nazca Lines Created by Extraterrestrials?

Some theories, like those from author Erich von Däniken, suggest that the Nazca Lines were created with the help of extraterrestrials, possibly as landing fields for spacecraft. Reverend Sean Malone revived the theory, connecting the Nazca Lines with the Orion constellation and claiming they were made by an alien group marking Earth for harvesting. However, these ideas have been met with skepticism, with some authors arguing they dismiss the capabilities of ancient human civilizations.

🎈 Nazca from Above: The Balloon Hypothesis

In 1977, Jim Woodman theorized that the Nazca people created the lines from above using hot air balloons. He attempted to prove this by building a balloon from materials available to the Nazca civilization. Despite a promising start, the flight ended prematurely, and the theory was later dismissed. Researchers demonstrated that the lines could be drawn from the ground using simple tools like ropes and stakes, without the need for airborne assistance.

🦢 Replicating the Nazca Lines: A Modern Experiment

In 1982, Dr. Joe Nickell and his family replicated the 134-meter-long condor geoglyph using simple tools and a grid system, proving that ancient people could create such intricate designs without advanced technology or aerial perspectives. The experiment showed that it was possible to recreate the Nazca Lines with basic methods in a short amount of time, dismissing theories of alien or supernatural intervention.

🌞 Religious Paths or Astronomical Calendar?

The purpose of the Nazca Lines remains debated. Some archaeologists believe the lines were religious paths or ceremonial decorations, while others, like Paul Kosok and Maria Reiche, suggest they served as a calendar to mark agricultural seasons, as some lines align with the solstices. Recent researchers have used modern technology to explore potential astronomical connections, although skeptics argue that any alignment between stars and lines is coincidental due to the vast number of visible stars.

🚶 Pathways and Water Rituals: A Functional Explanation

Anthony Aveni proposed that the Nazca Lines were related to water, with the trapezoidal shapes pointing toward watercourses. He suggested that the lines might have been footpaths for workers or part of rituals to invoke rainfall in the arid region. This theory aligns with the idea that the biomorphs represented animals associated with water, crops, and fertility, serving as propitiatory symbols to appeal for the gods' favor.

🔍 New Discoveries and Advanced Technologies

Recent discoveries have added new dimensions to the study of the Nazca Lines. In 2019, Japanese researchers used high-resolution 3D data and AI to uncover 143 new geoglyphs, offering new interpretations of their functions. These findings suggest that some geoglyphs were ritual spaces while others served as markers for travelers or territorial boundaries. In 2020, drones helped uncover new shapes, including a 37-meter-long cat, continuing the exploration of this ancient mystery.

📖 Nazca: A Canvas and a Book of Mysteries

The Nazca Plain is not just a canvas but a giant book of conflicting stories, with each discovery offering new interpretations. Technologies like drones and AI are helping researchers uncover hidden details, but the true purpose of the Nazca Lines remains elusive. The geoglyphs continue to intrigue and inspire exploration, keeping the mystery alive as scholars attempt to solve the puzzle behind these ancient markings.

Keywords

💡Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are a collection of geoglyphs etched into the desert plains of Nazca in Peru. These geoglyphs include depictions of animals, plants, and abstract shapes, spanning up to 12 kilometers. They are central to the video's exploration of ancient civilizations, extraterrestrial theories, and archaeological research. Their purpose remains mysterious, fueling debates over whether they served astronomical, religious, or navigational functions.

💡Geoglyphs

Geoglyphs are large designs or motifs created on the ground by arranging rocks or removing layers of soil to reveal contrasting earth. The Nazca Lines are some of the most famous geoglyphs, and the video explains how these designs are categorized into biomorphs (animals, plants, etc.) and geometric shapes. These geoglyphs serve as the core mystery discussed in the video, raising questions about their purpose and creators.

💡Biomorphs

Biomorphs refer to the Nazca Lines that represent living creatures, such as animals, insects, and plants. Examples in the video include the monkey, hummingbird, and condor. These shapes are thought to hold religious or ritual significance and could have been offerings to gods or used in ceremonies. Biomorphs are considered the earlier form of Nazca geoglyphs, predating the more abstract geometric patterns.

💡Astronomical Alignment

Astronomical alignment refers to the theory that the Nazca Lines were designed to correspond with celestial events or constellations. The video discusses how some lines align with solstices, while certain biomorphs may represent constellations like the Big Dipper. This theory suggests that the lines may have been part of a massive astronomical calendar, aiding the Nazca people in tracking time and seasons.

💡Paul Kosok

Paul Kosok was an American historian who first systematically studied the Nazca Lines in the 1930s. He is credited with noting the potential astronomical significance of the lines, proposing that they might have functioned as a massive calendar. His work laid the groundwork for later research, including that of Maria Reiche, and contributed to the ongoing debate about the lines' purpose.

💡Maria Reiche

Maria Reiche was a German archaeologist who dedicated her life to studying and preserving the Nazca Lines. Known as the 'Lady of the Lines,' she meticulously protected the geoglyphs and conducted extensive research, proposing that they served astronomical or religious functions. Her tireless efforts, including sweeping the lines clean of debris, played a crucial role in bringing the Nazca Lines to global attention.

💡Extraterrestrial Theories

Extraterrestrial theories refer to the speculation that the Nazca Lines were created with the help of, or as signals to, alien visitors. Authors like Erich von Däniken popularized the idea that the lines were landing strips for alien spacecraft. Although widely debunked, these theories remain a focal point in the video, illustrating the more sensational interpretations of the Nazca mystery.

💡Hot Air Balloon Theory

The Hot Air Balloon Theory, proposed by Jim Woodman, suggests that the Nazca people may have used hot air balloons to oversee and design the massive geoglyphs. Woodman even conducted a test flight using materials available at the time of the Nazca civilization. Although the theory is largely dismissed, it represents another attempt to explain how such large and precise drawings were made without modern tools.

💡Water Rituals

Water rituals are a theory that the Nazca Lines were created to honor water deities or to guide rituals intended to bring rain. Given the arid climate of the Nazca region, water was a precious resource, and many scholars, including archaeologist Johan Reinhard, suggest that the lines and biomorphs were related to ceremonies aimed at securing water for agriculture. This idea ties the geoglyphs to practical survival needs.

💡Deep Learning AI Discoveries

Deep learning AI discoveries refer to the use of artificial intelligence to identify previously unknown geoglyphs in the Nazca region. A research team from Yamagata University used AI to analyze high-resolution data and discovered 143 new geoglyphs in 2019. This highlights the role of modern technology in uncovering new aspects of ancient history, as discussed in the video.

Highlights

The Nazca Valley was viewed as a massive canvas by ancient populations, used to express their creativity, spirituality, and imagination through geoglyphs.

The Nazca Lines are considered one of the largest horizontal archaeological monuments on Earth, drawing fascination and speculation from scholars and enthusiasts alike.

The geoglyphs are categorized into two types: biomorphs (depictions of living beings) and geometric patterns (lines and shapes), some of which extend up to 12 kilometers.

The Nazca civilization, which created the geoglyphs, thrived around 500 BC, with their artistic work potentially linked to ritualistic or ceremonial purposes.

Maria Reiche, known as the 'Lady of the Lines,' dedicated her life to studying and preserving the Nazca Lines, earning her a reputation for meticulously sweeping the geoglyphs clean.

Some early scholars theorized that the Nazca Lines were related to astronomical phenomena, with the shapes and lines aligning with stars and constellations.

Controversial theories suggest that the Nazca Lines may have been created with extraterrestrial help, most notably popularized by authors like Erich von Däniken.

Another theory proposes that the Nazca civilization might have used hot air balloons to observe and design the geoglyphs from above, although this has been largely dismissed.

The Nazca geoglyphs were created by removing the top layer of reddish pebbles, exposing a lighter substratum, and protecting the designs with strategically placed gravel.

Experimental attempts, like those led by Dr. Joe Nickell, showed that even modern-day beginners could recreate the Nazca designs using simple tools like ropes and stakes.

The purpose of the geoglyphs is still debated, with theories ranging from religious paths (Caminos Religiosos) to astronomical calendars, and even water-related rituals.

Some believe that the geoglyphs were meant to attract the gods’ favor for rainfall, an essential resource in the dry Nazca region.

Recent discoveries, like the 143 new geoglyphs found by Japanese researchers using AI, suggest that the Nazca Lines may have served multiple social and ritualistic purposes.

Some newly discovered geoglyphs, such as a large cat figure found in 2020, continue to intrigue and expand our understanding of the Nazca culture.

Emerging technologies like drones and AI have helped identify previously unknown geoglyphs, advancing our knowledge while also adding new layers of mystery.

Despite decades of study, the Nazca Lines remain one of the world’s greatest archaeological mysteries, with no definitive explanation for their creation or purpose.

Transcripts

to the uninquisitive mind the nazca

valley may not appear to be any

different than that of any other vast

expanse of flat dry land it is seldom

graced by the treasure that is rainfall

and it is sheltered by the wind sweeping

the coast and the hills but to the

imaginative intellects of the

populations who dwelled here centuries

ago this plane was an open massive

canvas on which to pour their

imagination creativity spirituality or

simply to carve endless tracks

fulfilling a still mysterious function

arguably the largest horizontal

archaeological monument on the planet

it's certainly one of the most

fascinating ancient aliens hot air

balloons astronomical maps and mythical

creatures what holds the key to the

secret of the nazca lines

[Music]

the nazca lines are a collection of

hundreds of geoglyphs located about 400

kilometers south of lima peru which

cover an area of about 450 square

kilometers across the desert plains by

the river rio grande nazca and the pam

pass of jumana to clarify a geoglyph is

a large drawing or symbol carved onto

the surface of the earth the geographs

at nazca can be divided into two

categories the first group is

representational these shapes depict in

a stylized way a variety of living

beings and so they are called biomorphs

the honest artists have captured with

linear elegance the likeness of animals

birds insects plants as well as humanoid

and mythical creatures amongst the

best-known ones that you may recognize

is the monkey with its spiral tail the

condor as long as an olympic stadium the

spider worthy of a superhero costume the

giant which some insist maybe an

astronaut or the hummingbird with its

beak dipped into two parallel lines the

second category includes lines and

abstract geometrical shapes of varying

complexity the lines are generally

straight and extend as far as 12

kilometers crossing dry riverbeds or

jumping over hills without ever losing

their direction some lines develop into

patterns mazes spirals or expand into

geometrical figures some up to 400

meters long these figures were clearly

of great relevance to its authors the

pre-columbian civilization of the nazcas

the evolution of this society can be

divided into four phases the proto early

middle and late phases the geoglyphs are

believed to have originated around the

middle period about 500 bc around that

time the nazca civilization was composed

of local chiefdoms and larger regional

centers which gravitated around huahche

a site of pilgrimage by the coast after

the disappearance of the nazca

civilization their geoglyphs were not

mentioned in any record until the year

1553 this is when spanish conquistador

pedro ciesa de leon made mention of

trail markers in one of his chronicles

possibly referring to the lines the

illustrated canvas of the rio grande and

the pampas was brought to the world's

attention only in 1926 thanks to

peruvian archaeologist torubio mayor

xepay he first spotted the patents while

hiking on hills nearby and later

observed them from a plane his talk

about the lines at a conference in 1939

inspired american historian paul carlson

to investigate the geoglyphs on site

cossack was the first to start a

systematic survey of the area later

joined by archaeologist richard p

sheadle and the legendary lady of the

lines maria rihe maria reihe was a

native of dresden germany not fond of

brown shirts toothbrush moustaches or

appropriated sun symbols she left the

country in 1932

just in time for the following years

maria worked in peru as a governess and

teacher before becoming cossoc's

assistant even after the historian left

peru in 1949 raji continued to dedicate

her life to the study and the

preservation of the lines and biomorphs

protecting them from intruders the

weather and deposits of sand in fact she

earned another nickname the lady of the

broom as she personally swept meter by

meter more than a thousand kilometers

worth of geoglyphs it was largely thanks

to her that the nazca lines achieved

worldwide fame and attracted scholars

from around the world the lady of the

lines died on june the 8th 1998. she

lived by her beloved geoglyphs to the

very last day and it is said that she

sometimes chased away intruders on a

wheelchair

[Music]

maria kossok and many others have all

published theories on the origins and

the functions of the nazca lines most

scholars agree that the bulk of the

geoglyphs in the basin of the rio grande

were etched sometime between 500 bc and

580. this time bracket was estimated by

raihi based on carbon dating of wooden

stakes ceramic vessels and other

artifacts found on site as we'll see

later in more detail the biomorphs are

probably more ancient than the geometric

patterns the shapes found at the pamper

of gemana though may be even older these

may have been left by the paracas and

tapara cultures who pre-date the nazca

by about three centuries and who also

left their marks in the nearby site of

palpa so far so good with the consensus

the wild and separate theorizing starts

when we approach the other big questions

how did these ancient people draw the

patterns what was the function of the

drawings and did those artists receive

any help from above one of the first

historians to study the site paul kossok

joe kidney noted that the lines looked

like prehistoric landing fields this was

an unfortunate comment which may have

been picked up by swiss author eric von

deineken in his book chariots of the

gods of 1970 von dynachan suggests a

direct alien involvement his view is

that an extraterrestrial craft may have

been headed to nazca to extract minerals

the aliens on board dispatched a landing

probe which left a long line in the

ground the spectacle must have left the

nazcas in awe it must have been

important of the gods

of course important which inspired them

to draw more and more lines and then

biomorphic shapes is an offering to the

beings from above a sequence of events

which you may have noticed contradicts

the actual chronology of the artwork

remember first it was the biomorphs and

then it was geometry on a separate

occasion the swiss best-selling writer

also speculated that certain patterns

may have been delineated landing fields

for spaceships no mention of whether it

was duty-free though the alien origin

theory has recently been revived by

reverend raj and sean malone in his

publication the orion lines solving the

nazca lines and the secret to the stars

reverend malone noted how the straight

lines of the planes tend to converge

into three main hubs in his

interpretation these three points

replicate the constellation orion ergo

the nazca lines were designed and carved

by an extraterrestrial force known as

the orion group a satanic force who

takes over star system sick throughout

the galaxy if not the universe malone

proceeds to provide proof that this

group has placed orion patterns at nazca

as well as other ancient and modern

architectural sites this pattern by the

way consists of three dots placed along

the same line so

well let's just say it's not exactly

unique is it but what matters is the

function of these patterns the group has

placed them to ward off competing aliens

from messing with planet earth their

objective though is not to protect us

rather to mark our world as a hunting

ground on them so they can harvest

adenochrome from our adrenal glands all

right then and the orion group harvests

more than

apparently when studying the pyramids of

giza reverend malone speculated the

following when i looked up at the

blueprints to the great pyramid i

immediately knew it was a water well and

that they were water harvesting the

kneel sick again river they were

processing h2o and ionizing it creating

h3o also known as hydronium to fuel

their craft to comment on these theories

the best we could do is to borrow from

author jason colovito when reviewing the

works avond anakin the underlying

message of ondanican's work has long

been that non-white peoples are

incapable of achieving great things

without help from an outside force we

can expand on this by saying that

certain authors feel the need to treat

mankind as the lazy kid sitting at the

back of the room only capable of copying

homework from

aliens

[Music]

in 1977 author jim woodman did not buy

into this notion he believed that the

nazcas didn't need any design

consultancy from orion to do their job

yet he still thought that the only way

to carve the nazca lines was to direct

work from above not from a spacecraft

but from a hot air balloon to prove his

point he crafted a balloon using

material and technology which would have

been available to the nazca people he

even organized a test flight with

balloonist julian knott which

surprisingly actually started pretty

well but the contraptions soon started

losing altitude and the experiment risks

ending in disaster in the end the two

brave researchers had to bail out of

their flying basket three meters above

the ground before hitting the pampas

american archaeologist anthony avini

later dismissed the notion that nazcas

had gone airborne the hills adjacent to

the valley are more than enough of a

vantage point great so we have now

established that the geoglyphs were

drawn by human artists with their feet

firmly on the ground

but how exactly paul soccer and maria

reihe demonstrated that the shapes were

obtained by simply removing the top

layer of reddish oxidized pebbles

revealing a clearer substratum of sand

and dirt the gravel was then placed

along the cleared path protecting them

from exposure before this stage nazkar

artists prepared sketches on small

square plots roughly two meters for each

side the preliminary drawing was then

broken down into smaller parts each to

be enlarged the longer lines were carved

on the ground using ropes stretched

between poles circles were done by

anchoring a length of rope to a rock or

stake more complex curves could be drawn

by linking appropriate arcs in august of

1982 dr joe nickell decided to put this

theory to the test the stage magician

private investigator and research fellow

for the committee of skeptical inquiry

sought to reproduce the 134 meter long

carving of the condor nickel enlisted a

crew of absolute beginners to prove that

anybody could accomplish the endeavor he

got help from his father his cousins and

a twelve-year-old nephew nicole and

family drafted a small preparatory

drawing then plotted 165 key points in

the figure in relation to a vertical

axis running through the condor they

then painted a 134 meter long vertical

axis on an empty field and replicated

the 165 points adjusted to scale next

they played a giant connect the dots by

stretching lengths of twine from one

point to the other finally they used the

stretched twine as a guide to draw the

lines the end result was incredibly

similar to the original condor and nazca

and it took barely two days of work to

complete no balloons were crashed in the

process and no adrenocrone was harvested

[Music]

we have discussed who covered the valley

of nazca and etchings and how they did

it but we still need to understand with

certainty why they did it what was the

purpose of the biomorphs the geometric

patterns and the long lines disappearing

into the horizon there are several

theories none of which has been

conclusively confirmed or disproven in

1927 archaeologist turabio major expert

suggested that the more linear designs

were caminos religiosos which could be

translated as religious paths or

pilgrimage tracks perhaps heading to the

nazca coastal hub of koachi his

colleague alan sawyer expanded the

religious concept to the biomorphs in

1975. according to him individuals would

walk atop the contours of the drawings

thus absorbing the nature or essence of

the object paul kosak and maria reichi

also buy into the ritualistic function

the geoglyphs may have been ceremonial

decorations to attract the benevolence

of the gods but the duo also proposed an

alternative theory according to which

the nazca valley was a sort of enormous

calendar used by the locals to mark key

moments of the agricultural year they

found for example that certain lines

converge towards the sunrise on the

winter and summer solstices and certain

biomorphs may correspond to the shapes

of constellations for example the monkey

shared some similarities with the big

dipper in recent years physicist emilius

baravigna used google maps and the

software stellarium to identify precise

alignments between geoglyphs and

celestial objects she found for instance

that the long bill of the frigate bird

points to the star for malhout as it

would have appeared in the skies over

the year 1000 a.d although the beak of

the hummingbird dips into two perfectly

parallel lines as the scientist puts it

the direction of these lines corresponds

to the direction of the sunrise on the

december solstice this means that the

hummingbird is drinking the light of sun

these theories have been counter-argued

by authors helene silverman and donald

prowl their point is that any alignment

between a star and a ground marking is

statistically insignificant considering

the huge number of stars visible in the

night sky at nazca this astronomical

debate has continued well into the 2010s

since the mid-1980s though another line

of thought has also emerged

archaeologist anthony avini has found

that most of the radial lines emanating

from the nazca plane ended in

trapezoidal shapes 400 meters long and

40 meters wide on average these shapes

are typically oriented along

watercourses with the narrow end

pointing upstream this led him to

speculate that the lines were related to

water in some important way either

functional or ritualistic avini also

suggested that the straight lines could

be merely narrow footpaths as they

present many similarities with those

developed by the incas centuries later

these footpaths may have been used by

the alias or kin-related groups to reach

their place of work according to the

later developed emitter system andean

societies required a-list to move across

the region and spend pre-assigned time

working far from home maybe these paths

are a trace of a pre-existing similar

labor system allowing commuters from

centuries ago to find their bearings

johann reinhard writing for national

geographic has expanded on the water

theme this region may receive only about

20 minutes of rain per year therefore

water is clearly vital his idea is that

the lines were meant to lead pilgrims to

places where rituals were performed to

obtain water and fertility of crops so

what about the biomorphs according to

reinhardt the end purpose was the same

most of the depicted animals were

associated with the concepts of water

abundance of crops and fertility this

indicates that they may have been

propatiatory symbols carved to petition

the grace of rainfall from the gods

i should stress again that no definitive

explanation has been agreed upon yet the

exploration analysis and interpretation

of the geoglyphs is as popular as ever

in recent years in june of 2019 a trio

of japanese research has concluded that

many of the bird biomoths have been

misidentified the famous hummingbird for

example is now considered to be a hermit

close enough they belong to the same

genus but hermits are not local to the

nazca pampers the trio have also spotted

a pelican hailing from the coast their

conclusion is that nazcar artists came

across these birds while traveling and

when choosing subjects for their

drawings they went for the exotic option

in november of 2019 another japanese

research team from yamagata university

discovered an impressive 143 new

drawings on the nazca pamper and the

surrounding area 142 of them were

identified through field work analysis

of high resolution 3d data the 143rd was

discovered by developing an artificial

intelligence model on a server

configured with the deep learning

platform ibm watson the yamagata

research offers new interpretation as to

the nature of the geoglyphs the oldest

shapes dubbed type b date to the initial

nazca period between 100 bc and 180.

they are between 5 and 10 meters in

length and form solid colored surfaces

type a geoglyphs are over 100 meters

long were created in the early nazca

period 100 to 300 a.d the team concluded

that type a figures delimited ritual

places here in inhabitants of the valley

performed ceremonies involving the

destruction of pottery vessels while

type b's usually found on sloping

inclines may have been used as way posts

for travelers or to demarcate

territories in a way they indicated that

a certain area belonged to a certain

social group from may to november 2020

peruvian archaeologist johnny island

identified further type b shapes with

the help of a drone the new geoglyphs

are located in both the nazca and papa

valleys and appeared to belong to an

earlier tradition the latest find is the

internet's best friend a 37 meter long

cat resting on the side of a hill not

all new finds are on the fluffy side

before revealing the cat professor

spotted a 65 meter long biomorph with

terrifying features it appears to be an

orca but it has a human arm and it holds

a severed head moorheads appear to have

been ingested by the creature the orca

is located some 50 kilometers north of

the unesco site and isla believes it to

belong to a transitional stage between

the culture that carved the type b's and

the later nazca tradition so he started

today's episode by referring to the

nazca plane as an enormous canvas if

there's something we've learned from the

existing studies it's that it could also

be compared to a giant book a book of

conflicting stories in which each

chapter hints at a different solution

wildly pointing to opposite directions

recent technology such as drones or ai

has helped us read plot twists

previously hidden between the lines but

we are far from flicking to the last

page where the mystery is revealed

so i really hope you found this video

interesting if you did please do hit

that thumbs up button below don't forget

to subscribe and as always

thank you for watching

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