Lines In The Desert Plains Chapter 9: An investigation of the Nazca Lines

Some of the Nazca art on the desert plains to a certain extent can be explained.



The Astronaut



The Nazca astronaut was discovered by Eduardo Herron in 1982 and it is 32 meters in length. The astronaut-an oval headed figure, looking quite human, with a waving hand and orb-like eyes, may have earned its nickname due to one of the theories about the lines, his purpose should be obvious designating to the ancient astronauts that they were in the right area. The Nazca made it to show they were friendly- a hand waving a way of wooing them back after they had left as one theory goes. One wonders about the relationship of the ancient astronauts with the Nazca. What did each get out of the deal that made the relationship possible ? The ancient astronauts may have taken advantage of the Nazca worship of the mountain god Apu, When the Nazca built the landing areas, the ancient astronauts in the guise of Apu would tell them where water could be found in the desert or foothills to the east. This is the first theory concerning the use of local deities.



The Killer Whale

 The killer whale was commonly depicted in the mythical creation of the Nazca culture. It appears on pottery as well as carved into the ground. Sometimes, it is shown carrying a human head, but its depiction in the desert lacks this feature. Killer whales feature strongly in the mythologies of indigenous cultures. It had a reputation for being a fearless predator and must have been seen frequently off the coast of the Nazca.



The Spider



The spider is over 150 feet long, the spider was drawn with a single continuous half mile-long line. The Nazca may have benefited from spiders eating insects on their crops. There are still some Peruvians who believe that the drawings of spiders are magical. But according to Phillis Pitluga the spider was a diagram of the constellation Orion. Spiders were worshipped by the Moche people who worshipped nature. They placed an emphasis on animals but often depicted spiders. Spiders symbolized patience as well as mischief and malice. and the painful death they could cause. The people who saw the ancient astronauts wondered where they came from so the Nazca could have given them a place of origin-Orion. The ancient astronauts would have given them instructions on how to build the runways (ray centers) they needed. The task would have been simple enough to obey. They would not have needed an advanced technology, but advanced knowledge of how to do it. A new way to make designs on the desert plains using the everyday the tools they already had!

The Condor

 

Another animal depicted on the desert plain is the Andean Condor. Found on adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America. It has the largest wingspan of any bird. The condor is primarily a scavenger (a vulture). It is the national symbol of Peru and plays an important part in the folklore and mythology of the Andean regions. It has been represented in Andean art as for back as 2500 B.C. In Andean society the Andean Condor was associated with the sun deity and was believed to be the ruler of the upper world. The Andean Condor was considered a symbol of power and health by many Andean cultures. It was believed that the bones of this condor had medicinal powers. The ancient astronauts could have taken advantage of this particular deity or have been seen by the Nazca as this deity because of the flight of their spacecraft. It would have been scary for them and that may have been the first thought that came to the Nazca mind when they saw them flying to overhead and landing nearby-the sun god and the ruler of sky. This is the second theory concerning the use of local deities.

The Dog

Another animal depicted on the desert plain is the dog. Actual dog worship is uncommon, but this object could have been made through Moche influence or it could have been one of the Nazca constellations.



The Monkey



Then there is the monkey. More than likely the monkey drawn on the plain was a representation of a Spider monkey or the Capuchin monkey. Both of which are common in South America. It must be assumed here that this geoglyph was in the same situation as the dog -influenced by the Moche culture or a Nazca constellation.