Ancient Earth Drawings Discovered In Peru
CJAD.com - 2 March 2005
LIMA, Peru (AP) - Archeologists have discovered a group of figures
scraped into the hills of Peru's southern coastal desert that are
believed to predate the country's famous Nazca lines.
About 50 giant figures were etched into the earth over an area roughly
145 square kilometres near the city of Palpa, El Comercio newspaper
reported.
The drawings - which include human figures as well as animals such
as birds, monkeys, and felines - are believed to be created by members
of the Paracas Culture sometime between 600 and 100 B.C. Johny Islas,
the director of the Andean Institute of Archaeological Studies told
the newspaper.
One prominent figure appears to represent the main deity of the
Paracas Culture that is commonly depicted on textiles and ceramics
that date from the period, Islas said.
The recently discovered designs predate the country's famous Nazca
lines that cover a 56 kilometres stretch of desert that have mystified
scientists and were added to the United Nation's Cultural Heritage
list in 1994.
The Nazca culture flourished between 50 B.C. and 600 A.D., Islas
said.
The lines - which also include pictographs of various animals -
are one of Peru's top tourist attractions with about 80,000 tourists
flying over the site every year.
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