Nazca is a friendly town on Peru's Southern Coast. It is most famous for the so-called Nazca Lines, a mix of long lines, geometrical figures, and giant drawings in the desert sand.
The Nazca Culture was discovered in the 1890's, when a German archaeologist named Max Uhle received an array of ceramics while working at the Anthropologisch-Ethnografische Museum in Dresden. Among the ceramics he received, there were many that came from South America, but among the vessels, some beautiful and colourful examples that drew his attention. The Nazca ceramics he had analyzed were so beautiful that he decided to travel to Peru in search of the exact place of origin of these ceramics. It was in 1901 that Max Uhle came to Peru, and after months of searching he arrived at the Valley of Ica at a place called Ocucaje, where he met some old farmers who knew about the ancient cemeteries where these colourful ceramics were frequently found. Uhle then made a series of excavations and discovered the Nazca ceramics at many archaeological sites, started to classify them and also made them known around the world.
The Nazca culture had as its main capital the Ceremonial City of Cahuachi, an ancient pilgrimage center that is located some 28 kms southwest of the modern city of Nazca. According to archaeologists, the Nazca culture thrived between 500 BC and around 600 AD, and their cultural influence stretched from Cañete in the north to Acari in the south, covering am area of almost 600 kms, with the Ceremonial Center of Cahuachi as its capital. It is believed that the Nazca people chose the lower section of the Nazca Valley to build Cahuachi due to the abundance of water coming from underground, a sort of natural springs that allowed them to irrigate their fields and produce essential crops for life.
The Nazca culture is credited with making the famous Nazca Lines, as the evidence abounds. Most of the animal figures and other designs that were etched onto the desert surface are repeatedly seen also on the pottery and textile iconography left behind under their necropolis and found around the desert and at the archaeological site of Cahuachi. Archaeologist also have discovered hundreds of pottery fragments that suggest the Nazca people gathered in the desert to carry out religious ceremonies and it is very likely that after a ceremony they smashed the pots as an offering to the gods, which they believed where above in the sky. The fragments found on the figures were mainly pieces of panpipes and whistles, which suggests that music, along with dances were involve in their religious ceremonies.
PLACE TO VISIT
Be very careful where you buy in Nazca, and never buy from people that address you on the street or await you at the bus stop.
Museo Arqueologico Antonini, Av de la Cultura 606 (follow Jr Bolognese about 1km east). Informative museum about the surrounding archeological sites. It also has a collection of pottery and textiles. In the garden there is a working aqueduct and a scale model of the lines. Entrance U$ 6.00.
Aqueducts of Cantalloc 2000 years ago, in pre-Inka times, the inhabitants of Nazca developed a system of underground aqueducts to irrigate dry lands that lacked of surface water. Thus, they were able to combat the ever-growing desert. The system is unique in Peru and perhaps in the whole world.In spite of the harshness of the desert, in the Nazca region still exist over 30 underground channels, which are used by local farmers, who grow mainly cotton, corn, beans and potatoes, as well as a variety of fruits. In addition to the channels, nearby visitors may also see various lines etched on the desert floor representing geometric forms, as well as the Inca ruins of Paredones.
Cemetery of Chauchilla For many years the Chauchilla Cemetery was looted by treasure hunters, who destroyed the place completely, taking away all the treasures the mummies kept in their tombs for centuries. Grave robbers just left behind the corpses, which can be seen today all over the ground. In addition to skulls and bones, visitors also can see several tombs centuries old, as well as long human hairs, ceramic fragments and others remains scattered on the desert surface. It is the only archeological site in Peru, in which ancient mummies are seen in their original graves, along with ancient artifacts, dating back to 1000 AD. This archaeological excursion is combined with the visit to a Nasca Ceramic workshop, where visitors will learn about the old technique of making Nasca pots and also a visit to the gold extraction centre to see an old way of extracting gold using huge mortars.
Chicchitara Carving Rocks, in the Palpa Valley.
The Palpa Lines
The Nazca Lines are the star attraction. Scattered over 500 square kilometers of an arid plateau between the Nazca River and Ingenio River, they are huge representations of geometric patterns, animals, humans figures and thousands of perfectly straight lines that go on for kilometers. They were created by removing surface stones, revealing the lighter-colored soil below. They're unquestionably ancient (dating back 1400-2200 years), and remarkably precise (with straight lines and clean curves). The images on the ground are so huge that the only way to view most of them is from the air, a fact which has led to speculation that the ancient Nazca people who created them either had air travel (e.g. hot air balloons), or - even less probable - were directed by an alien civilization. The prevailing scientific viewpoint is that they were created using low-tech surveying techniques, but nobody actually knows who made them or why. Most hotels and a couple dozen tour agents offer round flights in Cessnas. Shop around before buying. The price is US$50-90 depending on the season and your bargaining skills. An airport tax of 20 soles is usually not included in the price. There are also flights which include the nearby Palpa lines.
There is a observation tower along the Panamerican highway with a view of three of the figures and a lookout on a mountain. You can go there by tour, public transportation, or hitchhike your way out there. If you get airsick, this is the way to go. The small planes used for the air tours love banking hard and a motion sickness pill is recommended.
Sorry but hitchhiking is not a good idea in Peru. Better take a bus (Flores, Cueva or Soyuz) to get out there and then make a bus stop (no trucks or cars!) to take you back to Nazca. Access to the tower costs 1 sol.
