Are the Nazca Lines a World Heritage Site?

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, the lines and geoglyphs of Nasca have since become an important tourist destination in Peru.

Why did Nazca Lines become a World Heritage Site?

These lines, which were scratched on the surface of the ground between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500, are among archaeology’s greatest enigmas because of their quantity, nature, size and continuity.

What is the cultural significance of the Nazca Lines?

Perhaps the most obvious purpose of the lines is that the Nazca wanted to display their reverence for the natural world and pay homage to their gods, especially those who controlled the weather, so vital to successful agriculture in the arid plains of Peru.

What culture made the Nazca Lines?

Anthropologists believe the Nazca culture, which began around 100 B.C. and flourished from A.D. 1 to 700, created the majority of the Nazca Lines. The Chavin and Paracas cultures, which predate the Nazca, may have also created some of the geoglyphs.

Are the Nazca Lines protected?

For a new mystery, travel to Peru and visit the Nazca Lines, a place where historical mystery meets exquisite geometric designs that date as far back as 200 BC. Sounds pretty amazing right? Unfortunately, these archaeological wonders aren’t safe.

How were the Nazca Lines preserved?

The Nazca Lines are preserved naturally by the region’s dry climate and by winds that sweep sand out of their grooves. UNESCO added the Nazca site to its World Heritage List in 1994.

What were the Nazca known for?

Strongly influenced by the preceding Paracas culture, which was known for extremely complex textiles, the Nazca produced an array of crafts and technologies such as ceramics, textiles, and geoglyphs.

What happened to the Nazca civilization?

The Nazca people of Peru — famous for their huge line drawings on a desert plateau that are fully visible only from the air — set the stage for their collapse around the year 500 by deforesting the plain, allowing a flood-free rein through the Rio Ica valley, researchers have found.

When and from where did the Nazca culture originate?

The Nazca culture (also Nasca) was the archaeological culture that flourished from c. 100 BC to 800 AD beside the arid, southern coast of Peru in the river valleys of the Rio Grande de Nazca drainage and the Ica Valley.

What is the main threat to the Nazca Lines?

According to Peru’s culture ministry, they receive between 120-180 reports of illegal encroachments every year, making squatters the biggest threat facing Peru’s archaeological and heritage sites. Finally, like so many historical sites, the Nazca Lines have fallen victim to their own fame.