The Lines of Nazca

The lines of Nazca (geolyphs) located in the Nazca desert between the towns of Nazca and Palpa and created between 200 BC and 600 AD are an astonishing example of what primitive peoples can create using primitive tools. Over 300 giant drawings made by clearing the desert's surface of reddish brown stones, thereby revealing the lighter colored earth beneath encompass a wide range of geometric shapes (some resemble airport runways, others, birds, fish, animals and even a monkey). The fact that the pictures can be seen only from the air (being virtually invisible at ground level) have led many to believe that they were the creation of ancient astronauts who used the markings as guideposts and landing sites.

Colorful Floridian Jim Woodman a frequent visitor to South America believes the line’s creators had mastered flight and using materials such as, rope, cloth and reeds from Lake Titicaca constructed a hot air balloon complete with gondola that reached an altitude of 300 feet (90 meters) sufficiently high for enterprising natives to have checked on their handiwork.

As to how the illustrations were created, a grid map and a series of ranging poles to create straight lines would be one method.

As to why the illustrations were created, probably religious, the pictures were meant to be seen by the eyes of gods not men.

There are concerns that the fragile lines (10 to 30 centimeters deep) might be damaged by increasing rainfall due to changing weather patterns (the Nazca desert being one of the driest, least windy places on Earth which along with its isolated location is one of the primary reasons for the lines continued existance).

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