The Nazca culture flourished in the coastal desert of southern Peru between approximately 100 BC and 800 AD. They created extraordinary pottery decorated with mythological creatures, built sophisticated underground aqueducts (puquios) that still function today, and produced the world-famous Nazca Lines — an achievement that continues to astonish and puzzle archaeologists.
The Lines were created by removing the reddish-brown iron oxide-coated pebbles to reveal the lighter ground beneath. Thanks to the extremely stable desert climate (virtually no wind, rain, or erosion), the lines have survived for nearly 2,000 years. The geoglyphs include over 70 animal and plant figures, hundreds of geometric shapes, and straight lines that run for miles across the desert.
German mathematician Maria Reiche dedicated her life (from 1946 until her death in 1998) to measuring and protecting the Nazca Lines. Her astronomical interpretations — that the Lines served as a giant astronomical calendar — remain influential, though multiple theories exist about their purpose.
