The Nazca culture appeared around 500BC and lasted until about 800AD. Most of the information known about the Nazca people comes from the beautiful ceramics, which are the finest in any of the pre-Hispanic Peruvian cultures. The ceramics are decorated with scenes from every day life and the spiritual beliefs of the people. The tombs of the Nazca people also give strong clues about their way of life, and included deformed skulls and skulls with trepanation, as well as trophy skulls of enemies killed in battle.
The town of Nazca is quite large, with a population of about 30,000, but is rather dull. However, it forms a good base for visiting the Lines and other attractions, and has an interesting museum. The town suffered extensive damage in an earthquake at the end of 1996, although this had some positive results. Many of the ugly adobe buildings that used to dominate the centre were destroyed and have been replaced with better (although still ugly) brick buildings.
The Nazca Lines
The Nazca Lines are giant etchings in the desert, created by removing rocks from the sand and piling them up to created vast shapes. These include long, straight lines, running for kilometres, triangles and zigzags, as well as the better-known zoomorphic lines, such as the spider, monkey and hummingbird. Impressive enough as giant desert artwork, it is the mystery behind the lines that gives them their enduring appeal (as well as providing documentary makers with a constant supply of film ? the BBC seems to have a Nazca special every couple of years!).
The lines were begun over 2,500 years ago, and the Nazca people probably continued to etch them for hundreds of years. However, modern knowledge of the lines only emerged in 1926 with the first flights over the area by Mejía Jespe. The fact that the lines could only be seen and appreciated from the air has led to many theories, some of which can at best be described as very wild.
One of the stranger theories, discarded by most scientists (although it still has its proponents!), is Erich von Daniken's landing strip for aliens, which he details in his book Chariots of the Gods. Another theory, largely discredited, is that the ancient Nazca people built hot-air balloons from which to view the lines. In the 1980s there was even an experiment to test this theory, which resulted in a balloon quickly returning to earth. Many of these theories are based on the fact that it would have been impossible for the Nazca people to draw giant shapes that they were not able to see themselves. This, of course, is nonsense, and even a basic grasp of geometry would be sufficient to create intricate patterns hundreds of metres in size. Nevertheless, there are suggestions that the Nazca people had moveable wooden viewing platforms from which they would have been able to appreciate the figures.
Other theories that have been developed include the lines as racetracks for competitions and as a map of the Tihuanaco Empire. Neither of these holds much credence now. One theory even speculates that the area used to be very fertile, and when it turned into a desert the people made the lines to appease the gods.
One person in particular has contributed to the study and knowledge of the lines. This is Maria Reiche, a German mathematician who examined the lines for sixty years, from the 1930s until her death in June 1998. She believed that the lines formed a giant astronomical calendar, with the animal shapes representing the movement of the stars. She built on the work of Paul Kosok, a US scientist who investigated the lines in 1941 and thought that the lines were related to the celestial bodies, as some of the lines pointed to the sun at the winter and summer solstices. Although the calendar theory is now generally thought to be incomplete, with many of the lines unrelated to the heavens, Maria Reiche undoubtedly contributed more than any other person to the study and preservation of the lines.
Recent research now indicates that many of the lines are actually linked to water. Living in an incredibly dry desert, water was obviously a critical element in the lives of the Nazca people. There is now evidence of a drought in the area around 550AD, a time that corresponds to increasing line drawing and to the abandonment of nearby Cahuachi temples. Changes in religious practices may have come about to appease the gods and to bring rains to alleviate the drought. It is speculated that the impressive trapezoids were created at about this time and that they were spaces in which sacrifices to the gods were made.
The giant animal drawings in the desert are thought to be linked to the shamanic practices of the Nazca people. There are strong links between the zoomorphic lines and designs on Nazca pottery, which in some cases depict images of shaman flying. It is thought that the shaman took psychedelic drugs, which allowed him to enter the spirit world. Here he would commune with gods and animals with the spirit world to heal the sick. The lines represent many of the animals thought to possess spiritual power, and are therefore considered likely to be linked to the spiritual journeys of the shaman. It is thought that in times of drought the people would walk the lines, evoking the power of the gods and thus bring the drought to an end.
Another recent theory linking the lines to water, by David Johnson of the University of Massachusetts, has to do with the many underground aqueducts in the region. These were created by the Nazca people, who dug to the water table and channelled the water into canals, which they used for irrigation. The water does not come from the surface rivers in the area, but from subterranean rivers that cannot be seen from the ground. A theory speculates that the geomorphic shapes are related to the flow of these rivers. For example, there is some evidence that the elongated triangles point to the source of a subterranean river, whereas a zigzag indicates an area where there is no water. The lines therefore serve as a giant map of water sources in the area.
There are probably many other theories as to the origins of the Nazca Lines, and no doubt others will emerge with the years. Although it may be impossible to prove any, the mystery surrounding the drawings makes the lines a fascinating attraction.
There is an interesting lecture on the lines at 7pm every evening at Jr. San Martín 221. Additionally, the Hotel Nazca Lines has recently constructed a Planetarium with presentations every evening at 6.45pm and 9.45pm. This shows how the lines are linked to the celestial bodies.
Seeing the lines
There are two ways to see the lines. By far the best is by air. Many companies organise flights over the lines, which are generally in small Cesnas. These typically carry five passengers. The flights last about 30 ? 35 minutes, and fly over most of the well-known lines. If you have any lines in particular that you would like to see, make sure you arrange this beforehand. The flights can be very bumpy and are full of sharp turns, so if you suffer from airsickness, be prepared.
The best time to fly is between 8 and 10am, and between 3 and 4.30pm. However, you may have to wait sometimes, as the haze may make it difficult to see the lines.
There are plenty of airlines in Nazca offering flights over the lines. Tickets can be bought directly at the airport, which may be slightly cheaper than through an agency. However, the agencies do not normally charge much extra and will include transport to the airport and often other tours with the flight. Flight prices vary according to the season. In the high season (June to September) this can be as high as $50. When demand is low, often in January or February, flights can be as cheap at $30.
It is possible to visit the Nazca lines on a day trip from Lima with Aero Condor Peru. The company offers flights over the lines starting from Lima, and lunch in Ica. The plane does not land in Nazca. Aero Condor's office in Lima is at Juan de Arona 781 in San Isidro, T 441 1354.
If you do not want to fly, some of the lines can be seen from the mirador (look out) on the Pan American highway. The only lines that can be seen from here are the tree and the hands, and the platform is not really high up enough to see them well. A taxi must be taken to the mirador, as there is no public transport. This trip is not particularly recommended.
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