this post was submitted on 02 Dec 2025
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[–] Dialectical_Specialist@quokk.au 7 points 4 months ago (3 children)

I have so many questions—What are we actually looking at here? Seems like impressions on a sand mound/hill/dune, but if that's true, how are they so old? How does weather/age/erosion not make these disappear? I cannot believe anywhere on earth is tame enough to never have enough wind or tectonic movement to disrupt I guess. Tell me it's not AI please

[–] arcterus@piefed.blahaj.zone 11 points 4 months ago

Ancient Peruvians were masters of AI technology.

[–] Quilotoa@lemmy.ca 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The common thought is that this is a cactus. All these lines are in a desert, but not a sand desert. It's just rocks and gravel. Therefore, they don't get filled in with sand. Also, they only get a cm or two of rain a year and often that comes as mist, so very little erosion. The lines were made by scraping of the top 10 to 15 cm of pebbly rock to expose a slightly different colour of rock underneath. This particular figure is not in the Nazca region (therefore not made by the Nazca people). It was in the Paracas national park. You can't actually get to it by land. It's on a hill slope on the coast. I took a picture of it while passing by on a tour to the Ballestas Islands. The actual Nazca lines can be seen from a tower along the highway, but it isn't high enough to get a really good picture. You can take a plane ride, but I'm not that rich.

[–] Fredselfish@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

So we have no information on why they made these? I mean probably to worship some god that they believe in? Was there no writing then, or anyone who passed the knowledge down?

[–] Quilotoa@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 months ago

The thought is they were for astronomical or religous reasons.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

The candelabra is carved 2 feet deep and surrounded by rocks.

The wind definitely makes it blurry from time to time though!