Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – @BednarChuck
Peru’s Nazca Lines are not the work of a single group of people, but two separate groups that lived in different regions of the desert plateau and used the etched geoglyphs for pilgrimages to an ancient temple for religious rites, researchers claim in a new study.
According to LiveScience, the authors of the study explained the purpose of the Nazca Lines may also have changed over the course of time. While the very first ones were created so that pilgrims would be able to view the geoglyphs along their processional route, later travelers might have broken ceramic pots on the ground where the lines intersected as part of a ritual.
The findings are based on the recent discovery of 100 new geoglyphs and broken ceramic pieces at the intersection points of some of the lines, and analysis of the location, style and construction method of these recently-discovered features, by experts at Japan’s Yamagata University. Their findings were presented last month at a meeting of the Society for American Archeology.
The Spider, Nazca Lines, Peru. (Credit: Thinkstock)
Unearthing the reason the Nazca Lines were made
The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located between the Andes Mountains and the coast in Southern Peru, were reportedly created by ancient peoples between 200 BC and 600 AD by removing reddish-colored surface rocks to reveal the white colors of the desert beneath. They come in various shapes, including animals, supernatural entities, and geometric designs.
Their purpose has long been debated. Some archaeologists believe they formed a labyrith, while others argued they match-up with the constellations in the sky, or underground water routes; and still others believe they were part of an ancient route used by pilgrims. Based on their analysis, Masato Sakai of Yamagata University and colleagues believe that the pilgrimage route is the most likely possibility.
Sakai’s team discovered four main different styles of geoglyphs that tended to be clustered together along different routes leading to a massive pre-Incan temple complex called Cahuachi, the website said. Based on archaeological evidence found at the site, the researchers believe this had at one time been a destination for pilgrims who brought offerings with them.
The Hands, Nazca Lines, Peru. (Credit: Thinkstock)
Different strokes for different folks
Furthermore, the geoglyphs did not only show different content, but actually differed from one another, Sakai explained. For example, images of animals such as condors and camelids were found along a route starting from the Ingenio River, while a separate style of images, such as supernatural beings and trophy heads, were found along a different route.
The researchers believe this second route was made by a distinct people who lived in another region and also traveled to Cahuachi. A third set of geoglyphs was found between where the two different cultures would have lived, and is believed to have been made by both groups.
The purpose of the formations may also have changed over time, the study authors noted. Sakai said the geoglyphs placed during the Formative period, which lasted until 200 AD, were placed to be seen from the ritual pathways. Conversely, those created during the early Nazca period (which ended in 450 AD) were central to ritual activities, including the intentional destruction of the ceramic vessels discovered along the routes.
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