The lines and geoglyphs of Nazca and Palpa are among the biggest mysteries in archaeology because of their quantity, nature, size, and continuity (Photo: Triya Ghosh/India Outbound)
Nazca and Palpa Lines are amongst the most mysterious remnants of the ancient Peruvian civilisation. The origins of these gigantic sketches that are spread in a large swathe in Peru have long intrigued historians and geologists. At a seminar in New Delhi, jointly organised by Embassy of Peru in India and the India International Centre, Ana María Cogorno, leading Peruvian expert and Executor of Maria Reiche tried to unravel the mystery.
“We didn’t have religion, we were spirituals”, Cogorno told the gathering, adding that these mysterious lines are also linked to the astronomical calendars of the ancient Peruvians. She also stressed on the probable presence of a huge intercultural exchange between the ancient natives of the land and the Amazonian civilisation.
Scratched on the ground on the parched coastal plain of Peru between 500 BC and 500 AD, the lines and geoglyphs of Nazca and Palpa are among the biggest mysteries in archaeology because of their quantity, nature, size, and continuity. The geoglyphs include live things, stylized vegetation, and imagined beings in addition to extended geometric figures. It is assumed that they served ritual astronomical purposes. The Nazca Desert’s ancient communication system may have utilised the Nazca lines, according to researchers. The linear types were used to move from valley to valley, but the relief types are typically drawn on slopes next to old pathways.
“The Hummingbird is one of the most beautiful figures we have. What you see in The Hummingbird is the way they have managed to design such a piece out of an abstract conception. After developing a small pattern, they only use one metre. That’s the way they have made these lines, in one simple design. They started from one edge, they make the designs, complete it all and come next to the turn and close. That’s the only way they have done it all,” explains Ana María. In 1547 Peruvian conquests, evidences suggest that the lines and geoglyphs were used to trace cars and horses, she continued while introspecting the historical significance of the lines. The session delved deep into the historical, astronomical, cultural and geopolitical significance and mysteries of the Nazca lines that continue to elude many intellectuals till date.
Maria Reiche, renowned for her studies of the Nazca Lines, first visited the site in 1941. As the ‘Lady of the Lines’, Reiche dedicated her life to the study, preservation, and public awareness of the Nazca Lines. The historian’s work was highlighted by her executor during the session, throwing light on Maria Reiche’s life, discoveries on the lines and unparalleled contribution to history.
“Ana María will be a part of the Peruvian history,” says Luis Cabello, Trade & Tourism Counsellor of Peru in India, underlining the importance of her life’s work on the Nazca Lines.
