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Giant Figures in Peru Desert Pre-date
Nazca Lines
The Epoch Times,
May 24, 2005
 A group of about 50 drawings
of giant figures recently discovered in the hills of
Peru’s southern coastal desert near the city of Palpa
has been said to predate the famous Nazca lines nearby.
Mr. Johny Isla, director of the Andean Institute of
Archaeological Studies, said the “geoglyph” figures
appear to have been created by the Paracas communities
between 500 and 400BC, whereas the Nazca culture
developed after 50 BC. Mr. Isla and his partner Dr.
Markus Reindel from the Dutch Institute of Archaeology
discovered the Paracas figures using aerial photography
and land-based surveys. The figures of humans, birds,
monkeys and cats vary in size from 10m to 50m across,
and are also grouped together in areas up to 60 m to 90
m across.
The Paracas figures were created by removing dark stones
in order to expose the lighter surface underneath. Some
areas were cleared and others built up with rock,
creating figures in high and low relief. With the Nazca
lines though, the geoglyphs were only made by clearing
low-relief areas. Until recently scientists believed
that the figures in the Palpa and Nazca regions were
only from the Nazca culture. Mr. Isla says cultural
dating and style of the newly found Paracas figures sets
them apart.
Mr. Isla told The Epoch Times: “Most of these geoglyphs
belong to the Nazca culture but our recent studies
demonstrated that there are at least 50 geoglyphs
pertaining to the Paracas culture. These new figures are
definitely different and older than those of the Nazca
culture.
“First, the Paracas figures were drawn on the slopes of
the hills, while the Nazca images were drawn in level
areas. Second, the Paracas figures are smaller and were
made in a naturalistic style, while the Nazca figures
are bigger and stylised. Third, the Paracas figures are
mostly arranged in groups, while the Nazca figures are
arranged individually. Finally, it is important to note
that not one of the Paracas figures were repeated in the
Nazca iconography,” Mr, Isla said.
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