The Nazca Lines
Ancient geoglyphs in Peru, best seen from the air.
The Nazca Lines are geoglyphs etched into the soil of southern Peru’s Nazca Desert. Created between 500 BC and 500 AD, they were made by scraping away the top layer of reddish-brown, iron oxide–coated pebbles to expose a yellow-grey subsoil. This process left shallow trenches, typically 10 to 15 centimeters deep, though their width varies—most are just over 33 centimeters, but some stretch to 1.8 meters. The designs fall into two major phases: the Paracas phase (400–200 BC) and the Nazca phase (200 BC–500 AD). In the 21st century, drones have revealed several hundred new figures, and archaeologists suspect many more remain hidden.
Most lines run straight across the landscape, but over 70 depict animals and plants—such as a hummingbird, spider, fish, condor, heron, monkey, lizard, dog, cat, and a human—along with trees and flowers. The combined length of all lines exceeds 1,300 kilometers, covering roughly 50 square kilometers. The largest figures measure about 370 meters long. While best seen from around 500 meters in the air, they are also visible from nearby hills. The plateau’s dry, windless climate has preserved them naturally, though rare weather changes can temporarily alter the designs. Since 2012, squatters living on the land have contributed to their deterioration.
The high, arid plateau stretches over 80 kilometers between the towns of Nazca and Palpa on the Pampas de Jumana, about 400 kilometers south of Lima. The Panamericana Sur highway runs parallel to it. The densest concentration of geoglyphs lies within a 10-by-4-kilometer rectangle south of the hamlet of San Miguel de la Pascana.
The first published mention came from Spanish conquistador Pedro Cieza de León in 1553, who described them as trail markers. In 1569, Luis Monzón reported ancient ruins in Peru, including remains of “roads.” Though partially visible from hills, Peruvian military and civilian pilots first reported them in the 20th century. In 1927, archaeologist Toribio Mejía Xesspe spotted them while hiking and discussed them at a 1939 Lima conference. American historian Paul Kosok is credited as the first scholar to study them in depth. While in Peru in 1940–41 studying irrigation systems, he flew over the lines and recognized a bird shape; another observation showed lines converging at the winter solstice horizon. Kosok, joined by archaeologist Richard P. Schaedel and German mathematician Maria Reiche, proposed the figures served as astronomical markers for celestial events. Scholars have since debated their purpose, but most ascribe religious significance.
Determining how they were made has been easier. Archaeologists believe the Nazca people used simple tools and surveying equipment. Wooden stakes found at line ends, one carbon-dated, support this. In the early 21st century, investigator Joe Nickell recreated the figures using only tools available to the Nazca, disproving Erich von Däniken’s 1969 “ancient astronauts” theory. Nickell showed a small team could replicate even the largest designs in days without aerial help; *Scientific American* called his work “remarkable in its exactness.” The lines’ preservation is aided by morning mist, which hardens the lime-rich sublayer into a protective crust against wind erosion. The Nazca used this technique to create hundreds of simple and complex curvilinear figures. The entire earthwork is vast and intricate. The lines were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
- location
- Nazca Desert, southern Peru, between Nazca and Palpa
- area_covered
- approximately 50 km² (19 sq mi)
- UNESCO_designation
- 1994
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
He was joined by archaeologist Richard P. Schaedel and Maria Reiche, a German mathematician and archaeologist, who proposed that the figures were designed as astronomical markers on the horizon to show where the sun and other celestial bodies rose on significant dates. Scholars differ in interpreting the purpose of the designs, but in general, they ascribe religious significance to them. Determining how they were made has been easier than determining why they were made. Archaeological surveys have found wooden stakes in the ground at the end of some lines, supporting the theory that the Nazca people used simple tools and surveying equipment. Scientific American characterized Nickell's work as 'remarkable in its exactness' when compared to the existing lines.
Reader's Guide
The Nazca Lines are a collection of geoglyphs etched into the soil of a high, arid plateau in southern Peru, stretching between the towns of Nazca and Palpa. Created between 500 BC and 500 AD, they consist of shallow trenches made by removing the top layer of reddish-brown, iron oxide-coated pebbles to expose a lighter yellow-grey subsoil. The lines vary in width, with many slightly over a third of a meter wide, though some are narrower or reach greater widths. Most are straight lines running across the landscape, but over seventy are zoomorphic figures, including a hummingbird, spider, monkey, condor, heron, fish, lizard, dog, cat, and a human, as well as shapes of trees and flowers. The largest figures span nearly 370 meters. The lines are best seen from the air, though they are also visible from surrounding foothills. Their preservation is due to the plateau’s dry, windless, stable climate, though rare weather changes can temporarily alter them, and by 2012, squatters were causing deterioration. Scholars generally ascribe religious significance to the designs, though specific purposes remain debated. The geoglyphs were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. In the 21st century, drone surveys have revealed several hundred new figures, with archaeologists expecting further discoveries. The legacy of the Nazca Lines continues to evolve as new technologies reveal more about their extent and the people who created them.
Did You Know?
- The lines are typically 10 to 15 cm (4–6 in) deep.
- More than half of the lines are slightly more than 33 cm (13 in) wide.
Craft & Physical Scale
The technique was deceptively simple. Workers stripped away the top layer of reddish-brown pebbles coated in ferric oxide, exposing a pale yellow-grey clay subsoil beneath. This sub-layer is rich in lime, which, when touched by the region's morning mist, hardens into a natural sealant that protects the exposed surface from wind erosion. Widths vary dramatically—most lines sit just over 33 centimeters, but some narrow to 30 centimeters while others swell to nearly 1.8 meters.
Discovery & Early Scholarly Attention
For centuries the lines existed in the peripheral awareness of locals without attracting serious academic scrutiny. It was not until the twentieth century that the geoglyphs entered modern scholarship. He also noticed that certain lines converged precisely on the horizon at the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice. Kosok recruited archaeologist Richard Schaedel and German mathematician Maria Reiche into a collaborative effort, and together they advanced the theory that the designs functioned as astronomical markers tracking the sun and other celestial bodies on significant dates.
Purpose, Debate & the Ancient-Astronaut Question
What the Nazca people intended remains one of archaeology's enduring puzzles. Most scholars lean toward a religious or ceremonial function, yet no single explanation has achieved consensus. The astronomical-marker hypothesis, championed by Kosok, Schaedel, and Reiche, gained physical support when surveys uncovered wooden stakes driven into the ground at line endpoints; one such stake was carbon-dated and became a key anchor for establishing the complex's age. The question of how the lines were built, by contrast, was effectively settled in the early twenty-first century. American investigator Joe Nickell, working with only the tools and surveying methods available to the Nazca, reproduced the figures in a matter of days with a small team and no aerial assistance. Scientific American praised Nickell's recreation as "remarkable in its exactness" relative to the originals, demonstrating that extraordinary scale does not require extraordinary technology.
Preservation, Threats & Ongoing Discovery
The very conditions that made the plateau ideal for drawing—extreme aridity, near-total absence of wind, and a remarkably stable climate—have also served as the lines' greatest preservative. For two millennia the designs have endured with minimal alteration, though rare weather events can temporarily shift their appearance. In 1994 UNESCO recognized this fragility and significance by designating the geoglyphs a World Heritage Site. On the discovery front, the story is far from over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Nazca Lines?
The Nazca Lines are a vast collection of ground drawings etched into the desert floor of southern Peru, covering roughly 50 square kilometers. They include straight lines, geometric patterns, and over 70 animal and human figures that are most visible when viewed from above.
Where exactly are the Nazca Lines located?
They sit in the Nazca Desert between the towns of Nazca and Palpa in southern Peru. The entire complex spans about 19 square miles of arid terrain.
Why are the Nazca Lines considered important?
In 1994, UNESCO granted the site World Heritage status, recognizing its extraordinary cultural and historical value. The lines remain one of the most enigmatic large-scale art projects of the ancient world, and their exact purpose is still debated by scholars.
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