Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines were created by the Nazca culture between approximately 200 BCE and 700 CE by removing the reddish-brown iron oxide-coated pebbles from the desert surface to reveal the pale grey ground beneath. The designs include over 800 straight lines (some extending 48 km), 300 geometric figures, and 70 animal and plant forms including a hummingbird, spider, condor, monkey, and a figure known as 'the Astronaut' due to its appearance.

Many of the biomorphs are visible in their entirety only from the air — a fact that was not realised until aircraft began flying the region in the 1930s. Proposed purposes include astronomical calendars (partially supported by some alignments), ritual walking paths for ceremonies, or irrigation planning markers. The lines have remained largely intact for 2,000 years because the coastal desert receives less than 10mm of rain annually and the wind pattern is stable.