Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [107]
The lines were made by the simple process of removing the dark sun-baked stones from the surface of the desert and piling them up on either side of the lines, thus exposing the lighter, powdery gypsum-laden soil below. The most elaborate designs represent animals, including a 180m-long lizard, a monkey with an extravagantly curled tail, and a condor with a 130m wingspan. There’s also a hummingbird, a spider and an intriguing owl-headed person on a hillside, popularly referred to as an astronaut because of its goldfish-bowl-shaped head, though some are of the opinion that it’s a priest with a mystical owl’s head.
Endless questions remain. Who constructed the Lines and why? And how did they know what they were doing when the Lines can only be properly appreciated from the air? Maria Reiche (1903–98), a German mathematician and long-time researcher of the Lines, theorized that they were made by the Paracas and Nazca cultures between 900 BC and AD 600, with some additions by the Wari settlers from the highlands in the 7th century. She also claimed that the Lines were an astronomical calendar developed for agricultural purposes, and that they were mapped out through the use of sophisticated mathematics (and a long rope). However, the handful of alignments Reiche discovered between the sun, stars and Lines were not enough to convince scholars.
Later, English documentary-maker Tony Morrison hypothesized that the Lines were walkways linking huacas (sites of ceremonial significance). A slightly more surreal suggestion from explorer Jim Woodman was that the Nazca people knew how to construct hot-air balloons and that they did, in fact, observe the Lines from the air. Or, if you believe author George Von Breunig, the Lines formed a giant running track.
A more down-to-earth theory, given the value of water in the sun-baked desert, was suggested by anthropologist Johann Reinhard, who believed that the Lines were involved in mountain worship and a fertility/water cult. Recent work by the Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation (SLSA; www.slsa.ch) agrees that they were dedicated to the worship of water, and it is thus ironic that their theory about the demise of the Nazca culture suggests that it was due not to drought but to destructive rainfall caused by a phenomenon such as El Niño!
About the only thing that is certain is that when the Nazca set about turning their sprawling desert homeland into an elaborate art canvas, they also began a debate that will keep archaeologists busy for many decades, if not centuries to come.
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Passengers are usually taken on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to tour groups or those who have made reservations in Lima. Because the small aircraft bank left and right, it can be a stomach-churning experience, so motion-sickness sufferers should consider taking medication. Looking at the horizon may help mild nausea.
The standard overflight costs from US$50 for a 30-minute flight. Special discount deals are sometimes available, though prices may climb above US$85 in peak season. In addition, the aerodrome charges a departure tax of S20. Most agencies also offer combination flights that include the Palpa geoglyphs; these cost from US$85 per person and last around 45 minutes. Tour packages include transportation to the aerodrome, about 2km outside town. Make reservations as far in advance as possible. It’s cheaper to do this in Nazca, but travel agencies in other major cities, such as Lima, Ica and Arequipa, can also arrange this for a small commission.
Companies that fly over the Lines have ticket offices near the aerodrome. The biggest is Aero Condor Perú (52-2402, in Lima 01-421-3105; www.aerocondor.com.pe; Hotel Nido del Cóndor, Carr Panamericana Sur Km 447), which also offers overflights leaving from Lima and Ica and gives passengers the benefit of waiting at a nearby hotel in Nazca in case of weather delays, followed by AeroIca (52-2434, in Lima 01-445-0859; www.areoica.net; Hotel La Maison