Nazca -

I want to say hi to everyone at the ATS forum, this will be my first posting here.

I'm sure by now most of you have heard or seen the nazca lines in Peru.
these lines have many theories behind them. but few answers.

while viewing the lines on Google earth, I noticed some odd marks or dark circles at each end of the "runway" lines. heres where i need the expert advice from whoever is out there. what could these markings be? heres my thoughts on these circles. if these lines were runway/airports for ancient astronauts, could these markings be exhaust scars from the ships as they parked at each end waiting to land and or take off. please view the screen shots below and post any information about these dark circular markings.

thanks









[edit on 24-2-2008 by glitcher95]

Hello.

The Nazca Lines have nothing to do with ancient astronauts, UFOs, or extra-terrestrials. This is a common misconception.

They are simply lines drawn in the desert by pushing aside the reddish top rocks to reveal the lighter colored ground underneath.

You can read about how they were created and how they do not require any form of aerial surveillance or special materials in order to be made at the following links.

en.wikipedia.org...
csicop.org...
skepdic.com...

Originally posted by derekcbart
You can read about how they were created and how they do not require any form of aerial surveillance or special materials in order to be made at the following links.

I have never heard mention of any "special materials" involved in the creation of lines as they are clearly made of earthly substances. The mystery is that in order to be truly appreciated they must be viewed from above hence the photo references in your posts are all taken from the air. Can modern man recreate them? Sure. The creators however did not have the luxuries that we do to make the job an easy and easily viewed task as far as we know.

Your links show theories however which is fine but it does not kill the mystery in the slightest.

Thanks....

- Lee.

Cool. I have always been interested in the Nazca lines, or rather what purpose did they serve. I believe they were hoping for divine intervention and looked to the heavens for it. Hoping they would be spotted if they drew the images large enough to be seen from the heavens that they would gain exclusive help.

Cool find. I'm not sure if anyone has ever noticed those dark circles before. I personally don't think they were made by ufo take-offs and/or landings, but what they are I can't even guess.

And I have to agree with space cadet, the mystery surrounding the lines is not how they were made, but why. I believe that the Nazca people saw many things in the sky that they did not understand and were trying to communicate with whatever they were seeing. Like, "look, here we are".

Now, whether or not anyone answered......

Ok, First lets look at the reason why the Nazca lines were built. If you look at the culture, like many around the globe, their existence relied heavily upon agriculture. Advanced cultures can not rely solely on a hunter gatherer existence. Crop farming is critical. When agricultural societies grow, along with that comes a significant import of seasonal changes. The heavens are a great way to meter the clock of the seasons and all advanced agricultural societies rely on a careful study of the heavens( stars/planets) to regulate their planting and harvesting cycles.

With the Nazca lines, we have a different form of Stonehenge. Each set of lines or 'runway' as some call them, have particular importance to specific stars. Upon certain nights of the year, specific stars will arise from the horizon in line with specific Nazca lines. If one stands at one end of a 'runway' and sites down the line, when a marker star rises above the horizon on an important day, such as the summer solstice, it will arise exactly at the opposite end of the runway. Perfectly in line with the markings on the ground.

All that was required to make the lines, was (1) a close observation of the stars, as is found in many cultures around the globe; (2) a bit of basic geometry; and (3) a way to measure, such as a length of cordage. They then simply scratched at the soil to reveal a different colored substrate. Much like Stonehenge, the Mayan pyramids, and the Anasazi ruins, the Nazca lines can be used to determine the exact day of both the Solstice and Equinox.

My guess as to the meaning of the dark spots...... Ceremonial fires. Fire leaves carbon deposits which could be the underlying reason for darker soil. The other idea I had was simply the parking of tourist vehicles at the ends of the runway, leaving oil stains. Many of the subsidiary lines you can see are the result of vehicles driving around in the area. The dry soil is easily disturbed and it is such a problem that a vehicle ban was put in place to preserve the ancient markings. Currently, only specially permitted vehicles may enter the area in predetermined routes. There is a significant amount of scaring due to past vehicle use, and perhaps those spots were simply parking areas.

Of the two, I prefer the ceremonial fire theory, but either one could be proven given a site check. Perhaps a bit of online digging will give you the answer.

reply to post by Terapin


Thanks Terapin, for an nice chunk of information in a well written intellectually non condescending reply.

I considered the oil stain hypotheses, but not the ceromonial fires.. good observation on your part. I'll go with the Latter for now, until more information can be uncovered or perhaps until someone who has actually been to the lines can tell us what they are.

reply to post by Terapin


Terapin, Do you have a source for your theory?

My theories come from two things I know about Nazca, and ancient sites in general.

As I mentioned earlier, motor vehicle damage to the area is a significant problem. For years people were allowed to drive where ever they pleased and huge tourist crowds at certain times of the year, caused irreparable damage. With tours, there are often meeting places and guides. I thought that perhaps these spots where where people may have parked their cars, but I have no proof. It is just an idea.

As for the Ceremonial fire theory, well I do know that in other cultures where these types of celestial clocks are used, ceremonial fires are quite common. If they were waiting for the summer equinox, for example, once the alignment was determined to be correct, it is highly likely that they would have had some sort of ritual celebration. A big ol' bon fire would do the trick and would signal everyone for quite some distance, that the heavens were in alignment. Again, this is just a personal theory of mine and I have no proof. That is why I suggested that more research needed to be done online.

As for the Nazca lines being a celestial clock... That was proven some time ago by a scientist who correctly identified the specific stars used, and verified this fact by going to the lines on the Equinox, solstice, and other specific dates. The stars as they arose above the horizon, did indeed align perfectly with the Nazca lines, but only on the specific dates. This is exactly how Stonehenge and Anasazi ruins work.

Much like a sundial, you can accurately indicate the Equinox with a simple celestial clock. Easy to make, but for a large agricultural society, with a wise 'priesthood' studying the heavens, a more ceremonial method is generally used. Big impressive lines in the earth, and a ritual pageant. These types of celebrations are quite common in many cultures around the globe.