Nazca Lines
* This name is listed on the World Heritage List. ª The region is classified by UNESCO.
- 14.720555555556 - 75.150277777778Koordinaten: 14 ° 43 ' 14 " S, 75 ° 9' 1 " W
The Nazca lines, often also spelled Nasca lines, are giant geoglyphs ( geoglyphs ) in the desert at Nazca and Palpa in Peru. Named are the lines, the desert and the culture after lying close to the plane Nazca. The Nazca Plain pointing to an area of 500 km ² straight, up to 20 km long lines, triangles and trapezoidal surfaces and figures with a size of tens to several hundred meters, such as images of humans, monkeys, birds and whales. Often the pattern-forming lines are only a few inches deep. Due to the enormous size, they are only visible from a great distance, for example from aircraft.
A systematic exploration and surveying, together with archaeological excavations in the area and partially in the lines between 2004 and 2009 were able to clear its origin and its purpose with high probability: it was according to the latest research results presumably assets through fertility rituals of the period to 600 built 800 BC and were induced by periodic climate fluctuations.
Discovery
Were discovered the Nazca Lines until 1924, when the first commercial airlines flew over the Nazca desert and passengers made up the lines. The pictures were taken by removing the top layer of rock that is coated with desert varnish. This desert varnish consists of a rust-red mixture of iron and manganese oxides. Thus the lighter sediment mixture comes to the fore and forms clearly visible, beige yellow lines. The mysterious artist lived in the valleys of the Río Nazca, Palpa and Río Río Ingenio. The pyramid city Cahuachi to have been spiritual- religious center.
Research and theory
The basis of archaeological comparisons of the images in the sticks with designs on ceramics from the Nazca period it was believed that the geoglyphs were created during the time of the Nazca culture, which is to be settled in time between 200 BC and 600 AD. Today we know that the oldest figures already are approximately between 800 BC and 200 BC originated in the time of the Paracas period.
Precisely because of their unknown origin have been developed various theories about these lines. Only from a certain height can recognize the full figures. Toribio Mejia Xesspe, in 1927 as the first scientifically dealt with the images that they interpreted as a "great Inca artifacts ceremonies " and interpreted the lines as religious- ceremonial roads.
They became known worldwide after 1949 through the work of the German Maria Reiche, who since she for the first time in 1941 studied the lines began to her death in 1998 tirelessly for the protection and preservation of this desert figures and strove to their interpretation. Many of the pieces have been destroyed by foot and car tracks. Only through the initiative Empire, the Peruvian government has taken measures to prevent further destruction. On Maria Reiche's instigation, the geoglyphs in 1994 by UNESCO as " Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de Jumana " World Heritage Site. Empire original, inspired by Paul Kosok, a specialist in ancient irrigation systems approach to see a huge calendar recorded in the figures, is shared only to a limited extent today. Still much is unknown, but a mixture of agrikultureller, astronomical and religious meaning of the lines is assumed. Thus, there are clear correlations between the directions of some lines and solstice points. Of the animal figures, it is assumed that they served as a ritual paths with ceremonies and sacrifices that were deposited on them.
After numerous speculations about two dozen theories have emerged. Georg von Breunig has a comprehensive analysis over the Nazca lines in the Venezuelan magazine Interciencia published in the 1980s, in which he represents that the whole plateau of Nazca is a gigantic sports arena. This view was also of Hoimar of Ditfurth. Said Helmut Tributsch of the Free University of Berlin, if it were allusions to mirage to procure water. August Steimann who examined the geoglyphs in the 1970s, saw it as starting places for Kite.
Meanwhile, 89 km ² of Pampa Palpa geoglyphs and 1500 at the ETH Zurich in cooperation with the Commission of Non-European Archaeological cultures of the German Archaeological Institute photogrammetric survey and 639 of them accurately described, classified and investigated archaeologically. In 2005, about 50 other geoglyphs were first systematically recorded, covering an area of approximately 145 km ². They should be written between 600 BC and 100 BC. Today artifacts with a special remote-controlled model helicopters and the GPS measured precisely and researched.
In 2011, Japanese scientists discovered 138 more hills and lines. In addition, two new geoglyphs, a human head and the presentation of an animal were found. They were probably not discovered until now because they are relatively small and therefore can not be seen from the air.
Through the research of the DAI under the name " Andes transect - settlement dynamics between seashore and Altiplano of the Andes" were first settlements, tombs, petroglyphs and geoglyphs in the region systematically and particularly suitable localities excavated. Unexpected result was that the area was inhabited continuously despite the harsh climatic conditions of the early Formative Period, ie from about 1500 BC until contact with Spain ( 1532). Geoglyphs were first created in the Paracas period 800-200 BC, they reached their peak in the early and middle Nasca period between 0 and 450, the Nasca period ended around 600, then no more geoglyphs were built. On the plateau not only housing developments also tombs and small stone buildings have been found, but directly where offerings were laid down on the lines. The excavators call them Temple. Also, post holes were found, which are interpreted as visual cues. Temple, line figures and visual cues together to create a " ritual landscape ", which is interpreted as sacred places of the Nasca people. Geomorphological investigations revealed that on the plateau since the Paracas held a strong desertification, but irregular flooding and flood events, the adobe buildings of the inhabitants heavily damaged. Since these climate change coincides with the system of the geoglyphs and the finds in the temple buildings mentioned as related to fertility, it is assumed that the total assets are to be regarded as a material legacy of fertility rituals.
Nazca culture
In addition to the desert lines, there are extensive settlement remains, textiles, bone, mummies and pottery, which bring us closer to the culture of Paracas and Nazca. Meanwhile, numerous archaeological cross-references between this artifact groups could be made .
Para Scientific Speculation
A scientifically accepted theory for the Nazca Lines is by Erich von Däniken. Its widespread para-scientific theory assumes that the Nazca Lines could not have been created by human hands, but due to their complexity only of extraterrestrial life. It is argued that at the time people were not been able to build such huge geoglyphs, especially since they could not see this from the ground. This conclude the representatives of this theory is that it could have been possible only through the support of aliens, to make the geoglyphs as well as to look at from the air.
From representatives of this theory, the speculation is expressed that the line-like representations might have been a kind of runway, or runways for spaceships. Also, imagine the picture of a person with big eyes 'm called by the locals "astronaut", in truth an alien in a space suit dar. Since it was an ideal of beauty at the time of the Nazca culture to possess elongated skull shapes and therefore the heads of the children had been artificially extended by boards ( skull deformation), these parameters also scientists suspect that this could be an imitation of alien creatures that you may be revered as "gods."
Even if the theory of von Däniken is rejected under the majority of scientists as science fiction, it has survived to this day and is one of the most famous speculation about the Nazca Lines, as the origin and meaning of the lines is not considered to this day as cleared.
Figures
Geoglyph in the form of a monkey
Representation of a hummingbird, length 90 m
Representation of a spider
Satellite image of the area of the Nazca desert with the lines
Nazca Lines in Nazca, Peru
- Astronaut 14 ° 44 ' 43 " S, 75 ° 4' 47" W - 75.07975 14.745222222222
- Tree 14 ° 41 ' 39 " S, 75 ° 6' 53 " W 14.694111111111 75.114833333333 -
- Lizard 14 ° 41 ' 37 " S, 75 ° 6' 53 " W 14.693555555556 75.114777777778 -
- Hands 14 ° 41 ' 41 " S, 75 ° 6' 51" W 14.694611111111 75.114222222222 -
- Hummingbird 14 ° 41 '32 " S, 75 ° 8' 57 " W 14.692297222222 75.149188888889 -
- Condor 14 ° 41 ' 51 " S, 75 ° 7' 35" W 14.697583333333 - 75.1264
- Spiral 14 ° 41 ' 18 " S, 75 ° 7' 23" W 14.688416666667 75.123083333333 -
- Spider 14 ° 41 ' 39 " S, 75 ° 7' 22" W 14.694277777778 75.122666666667 -
- Monkey 14 ° 42 ' 25 " S, 75 ° 8' 19" W 14.706944444444 75.138694444444 -
- Parrot 14 ° 41 ' 24 " S, 75 ° 6' 25 " W 14.689972222222 75.107083333333 -
- Whale