Archaeologists identify 168 previously unseen Nazca lines by T.K. Randall

Archaeology & History Archaeologists identify 168 previously unseen Nazca lines By T.K. Randall December 21, 2022

One of the new geoglyphs (left) and highlighted (right). Image Credit: Yamagata University An aerial investigation of the Nazca Desert in South America has yielded the discovery of many more geoglyphs. Situated on a remote arid plateau in southern Peru, the Nazca Lines are a series of spectacular artistic designs, including images of spiders, monkeys, hummingbirds, fish and lizards, which were etched into the desert floor around 2,000 years ago. Most of the more prominant designs were produced by removing the red colored pebbles that litter the desert to unveil the white dusty ground underneath. Some of the drawings are huge and measure up to 200 meters across. Now archaeologists from Yamagata University in Japan have succeeded in identifying another 168 previously unseen geoglyphs by studying the region using aerial photos and drones. Dating back to between 100 B.C. and A.D. 300, the new geoglyphs include depictions of birds, killer whales, cats, snakes and humans - each formed by piling smaller stones on top of one another. One of these, which shows a club-wielding figure with its head falling away from its body, is believed to hold some sort of ritualistic significance to the people who created it. Over time, it is hoped that new methods - such as the use of artificial intelligence to analyze aerial photographs - could help researchers uncover the remainder of the undiscovered images.