By Tania Steere and Francesca Infante
The mysteries of the Nazca Lines carved into the Peruvian desert have intensified after gales and sandstorms revealed previously unseen ancient designs.
A pilot discovered a geoglyph of what appears to be a 196ft-long (60 metre) snake, as well as a type of camelid – such as a llama – above an unidentified bird.
These new lines join existing geoglyphs of a dog, hummingbird, condor and a monkey, thought to have been drawn by the ancient Nazca people between the first and sixth centuries.
The new lines were revealed following gales and sandstorms in the region and researchers believe this geoglyph shows a camelid (outlined left) above an unidentified bird (outlined right). Some 700 geoglyphs are thought to have been drawn by the ancient Nazca people between the first and sixth centuries
The discovery was made by pilot Eduardo Herrán Gómez de la Torre as he flew over the hills of El Ingenio Valley and Pampas de Jumana, as reported by El Comercio.
Archaeologists are now working to confirm the authenticity of the lines.
The geoglyphs, more commonly known as the Nazca Lines, were first spotted from the air in 1939 when a pilot flew over the Nazca region of the Peruvian coastal highlands.
They were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, and the area stretches more than 50 miles (80km) between the towns of Nazca and Palpa, 248 miles (400km) south of Lima.
Another previously unseen geoglyph (pictured) appears to reveal a 196ft-long (60 metre) snake. The discovery was made by pilot Eduardo Herrán Gómez de la Torre as he flew over the hills of Pampas de Jumana
Most of the lines (the dog is pictured) are formed by a shallow trench with a depth of between four inches (10cm) and six inches (15cm). They were made by removing the reddish-brown iron oxide-coated pebbles that cover the surface of the Nazca desert and exposing the light-coloured earth beneath
The mystery about why they were created has been debated for decades.
One theory is that the geoglyphs are connected in some way to water.
For example, a triangular geoglyph at the bottom of the Cerro Blanco mountain runs along the water veins inside the mountain, while the condor geoglyph is linked to local legend, which states that when the condor flies over the mountain, ‘great rains follow’.
Similarly, the ‘hummingbird’ geoglyph only appears in the summer following heavy rainfall.
All of the drawings were said to have been drawn using a single line, that never crosses itself, and were believed to be an appeal to the gods to bring rain.
THE MYSTERY OF PERU’S NAZCA LINES
The geoglyphs, more commonly known as the Nazca Lines, were first spotted in 1939 when a pilot flew over the Nasca planes of the Peruvian coastal highlands.
They were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and the area stretches more than 50 miles (80km) between the towns of Nazca and Palpa, about 400 km south of Lima.
Some 700 geoglyphs are thought to have been drawn by the ancient Nazca people between the first and sixth centuries.
The Nazca Lines are drawn into lighter coloured strata which contrasts with darker gravels on the plain.
In general terms, the geoglyphs fall into two categories: the first group, of which about 70 have been identified, are said to represent natural objects, such as animals, birds and insects.
In general terms the geoglyphs fall into two categories: the first group, of which about 70 have been identified, are said to represent natural objects, such as animals, birds and insects. The monkey is pictured
Many of the images also appeared on pottery and textiles of the region. Other drawings represent flowers, plants, and trees.
A second is made from lines and more basic shapes such as spirals, triangle and rectangles.
Archaeological surveys have found wooden stakes in the ground at the end of some lines, which support theory the ancient people used simple tools and surveying equipment to construct the lines.
Most of the lines are formed by a shallow trench with a depth of between four inches (10cm) and six inches (15cm), made by removing the reddish-brown iron oxide-coated pebbles that cover the surface of the Nazca desert and exposing the light-coloured earth beneath.
The largest geoglyph is a 935ft-long (285 metre) pelican (pictured). Most of the lines are formed by a shallow trench with a depth of between four inches (10cm) and six inches (15cm), made by removing the iron oxide-coated pebbles that cover the surface of the Nazca desert to expose the light-coloured earth beneath
This sublayer contains high amounts of lime which has down the years hardened to form a protective layer that shields the lines from winds and prevents erosion.
Contrary to the popular belief that the figures can only be seen from the air, they are actually visible from the surrounding foothills.
Paul Kosok, from Long Island University, is credited as the first scholar to seriously study the Nazca Lines.
He discovered that the lines converged at the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.
Along with Maria Reiche, a German mathematician and archaeologist, Kosok proposed the figures were markers on the horizon to show where the sun and other celestial bodies rose.
Source: UNESCO
Experts believe the Nazca used to dance along the lines of the geoglyphs when they prayed for rain – and many of the same images appear on Nazca pottery.
In December 2012, Professor Clive Ruggles, of the University of Leicester, said one of the shapes – a spiral motif traced in the Peruvian desert – is likely to have been a labyrinth, created as a ‘spiritual path’.
The huge images, which include hundreds of animals and complex mazes in the Nazca desert, can only clearly be seen for the air giving rise to a number of explanations as to who they were intended for.
The mystery about why they were created has been debated for decades. One theory is that the geoglyphs are connected to water. For example, the condor geoglyph (pictured) is linked to local legend, which states that when the condor flies over the nearby Cerro Blanco mountain, ‘great rains follow’
The geoglyphs, more commonly known as the Nazca Lines (pictured), were first spotted from the air in 1939 when a pilot flew over the Nazca planes of the Peruvian coastal highlands. They were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and the area stretches more than 50 miles (80km) south of Lima
The Nazca Lines are drawn into lighter coloured strata which contrasts with darker gravels on the plain.
‘They are one of the most impenetrable enigmas of archaeology by virtue of their quantity, nature and size, as well as their continuity,’ said UNESCO.
‘The concentration and juxtaposition of the lines, as well as their cultural continuity, demonstrate that this was an important and long-lasting activity.’
In general terms, the geoglyphs fall into two categories: the first group, of which about 70 have been identified, are said to represent natural objects, such as animals, birds and insects.
Many of the images also appeared on pottery and textiles of the region. Other drawings represent flowers, plants, and trees.
A second is made from lines and more basic shapes such as spirals, triangle and rectangles.
In general terms, the geoglyphs fall into two categories: the first group, of which about 70 have been identified, are said to represent natural objects, such as animals, birds and insects. Many of the images also appeared on pottery and textiles of the region. Other drawings represent flowers, plants, and trees
A second is made from lines and more basic shapes such as spirals (pictured), triangle and rectangles. Experts believe the Nazca used to dance along the lines of the geoglyphs when they prayed for rain – and many of the same images appear on Nazca pottery
