Nazca Lines
May 13th 2006 07:59
What are the Nazca Lines?
The Nazca Lines are geoglyphs, that is, drawings on the ground, or natural terrain of the earth. They are called the Nazca Lines because they are located in the Nazca desert in southern Peru, and because they were created by the Nazca culture, who lived in the area between 200BC and 600AD. They were first spotted by aircraft when commercial airliners started making trips across the Peruvian desert in the 1920s.
Since we are talking about a culture that existed only up until 1400 years ago, the accuracy of the lines created, as well as some 300 odd images of animals, seems startling. The Nazca did not have aircraft, and the satellite photograph above shows how the lines can be seen from an incredible altitude, to be accurate. This is taking into account variations of slope and fall in the hillside, which are deceptive to the human eye, let alone over such tremendous distances as the lines trace.
There have been various theories that have tried to explain the incredible finds.
Jim Woodman has suggested that the Nazca could have had access to hot air balloons at the time, which would have enabled them to see the pictures from the aerial perspective needed for visualization. Another theory that supports that the Nazca could have easily achieved the figures with technology avaliable at the time comes from Joe Nickell. Mr Nickell claims that he has constructed even some of the largest figures within a 48hr period without the need of aerial supervision, and with technology that would have been avaliable to the Nazca.
Others are convinced that an analysis of the shape and symbolism in figures depicted points to a kind of cosmin countdown: a prediction of a calamity to befall mankind in times to come.
And some, such as Erich von Daniken, have said they are landing strips for alien spacecraft!
Whatever the case, they certainly are spectacular. More can be found at my fond friend wikipedia..
Check out some more photos here.
satellite image
Since we are talking about a culture that existed only up until 1400 years ago, the accuracy of the lines created, as well as some 300 odd images of animals, seems startling. The Nazca did not have aircraft, and the satellite photograph above shows how the lines can be seen from an incredible altitude, to be accurate. This is taking into account variations of slope and fall in the hillside, which are deceptive to the human eye, let alone over such tremendous distances as the lines trace.
There have been various theories that have tried to explain the incredible finds.
a hummingbird
Others are convinced that an analysis of the shape and symbolism in figures depicted points to a kind of cosmin countdown: a prediction of a calamity to befall mankind in times to come.
And some, such as Erich von Daniken, have said they are landing strips for alien spacecraft!
Whatever the case, they certainly are spectacular. More can be found at my fond friend wikipedia..
Check out some more photos here.
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Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
ancient civilizations are so messed up!
Comment by amy
I'm not going to pretend I read that post (it's too early in the morning for that stuff!) but the others looked interesting - why don't you have an RSS feed? How am I going to remember to read your blog? Please organise my life!
(ps for my peace of mind, what do you do? There are too many stephens in the world =P)
amy