Incredibly huge animal figures, as if drawn under a ruler on the slopes of remote regions of Peru - where did these mysterious drawings come from? Until now, scientists have not found a specific answer to this question. It is only known that more than two thousand years ago, one of the little-studied South American civilizations created these mysterious images. These drawings were first discovered in the 1920s in the Nazca desert. Recently, archaeologists stumbled upon another geoglyph in the form of a giant cat. What secrets did this exciting discovery tell the experts?
The Nazca Geoglyphs are a group of giant geometric and figured images on the Nazca Plateau in southern Peru. These patterns, inscribed on the ground, were created about two thousand years ago. Scientists believe that this 37-meter cat, lying on a hillside, like other Nazca animal figurines, was depicted by creating depressions in the ground.
This is not some fantastic creature, but an example of ancient art called a geoglyph. Archaeologists stumbled upon it while excavating the area. Geoglyphs are created by removing the top layer of pebbles, which reveals the bottom layer of yellow-gray soil. In this case, someone depicted the cat's body in profile, with lines ranging from thirty to forty centimeters. The animal's head is turned, it has pointed ears, round eyes and a long striped tail.
The mysterious Nazca Lines, located south of the capital of Peru, Lima, have been built over hundreds of years. They stretch for about eighty kilometers between the cities of Nazca and Palpa. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These mysterious ancient giant images were first discovered in 1927 by the historian Toribio Mejia Xespe.
Who created this cat geoglyph? The style of the image suggests that it is the work of the Paracas people who lived here between 800 and 100 BC. Researchers believe that the cat hails from the late Paracas period.
They were replaced by Nazca, which also created geoglyphs. However, there are noticeable differences. Paracas are famous for the fact that, for example, they depict cats next to birds and people. Cat images are often found on their ceramics and textiles.
Chief archaeologist, Joni Isla, says: "While the figures of the Nazca culture were created by 'people for the gods', the figures of the Paracas were 'made by people for people.' What does it mean? While no one really knows what geoglyphs really are, many of them are so huge that they can only be seen from the air. It goes without saying that they were meant to be watched by the gods. There is another theory, it claims that these are some kind of astronomical markers.
Both theories have a right to exist, since it was possible to detect this image only with the help of a drone. It was a real coincidence, the experts were incredibly lucky. Moreover, experts say that the geoglyph "is about to disappear due to its location on a rather steep slope and the consequences of natural soil erosion."
The slope where the image of the cat is located is Mirador Natural, where the lines converge, making it an ideal choice for an observation deck.The workers were doing repairs there when the cat showed up! Then a group of archaeologists spent a week studying the unexpected find.
Despite the use of stone, these creations are very fragile. Experts say that even an accidental footprint can spoil the image. During the pandemic, this place was closed to visitors. These Lines will only be reopened to the public next month.
The cat's geoglyph has been miraculously preserved, after two thousand years have passed! Scientists believe that the climate was favorable for this. Johnny Isla hopes that the unique ancient images can be preserved thanks to modern technological advances. In addition, the archaeologist says he is confident that there are other geoglyphs that have yet to be found.
In the meantime, some continue to think that these images could not have been created by ancient people. These people claim that the geoglyphs came about as a result of receiving "extraterrestrial instructions." Someone says that these are airstrips for alien ships. Someone believes that in this way our ancestors attracted the attention of extraterrestrial civilizations, creating images that were large enough to be seen from space.
Scientists do not support these ideas. Fragmentary information about the representatives of the ancient culture who created drawings of such an impressive size does not reveal the reasons why they made them. In the meantime, the lines and geoglyphs of Nazca and Palpas will continue to fascinate and confuse inquisitive minds.
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