Family and Friend 6 (Reading 8)

The Nazca Lines

In this interview, historian Michael Jones talks about the mystery of the Nazca Lines. Michael Jones has studied the Nazca lines for many years.

1. Who were the Nazca people?

The Nazca were an ancient people that lived in Peru, in South America, about 2,000 years ago. The people are well-known for creating the Nazca lines. The Nazca lines are famous all over the world and they can still be seen clearly and easily today.

2. What are the Nazca lines?

They are giant sketches which the Nazca people drew in the desert in the Nazca Valley.

Some of the drawings are just long, straight lines but there were other drawings too.

3. Did they only draw lines?

No, they also drew birds, animals and figures. For example, there's a monkey, a giant condor, which is a type of bird, and a huge spider. There's also a human which has a big, round head and is known as

'the astronaut. We don't know why they drew these objects.

4. How did they make the lines?

The desert in the Nazca Valley is made of dark red stones and soil.

Underneath there is a lighter, yellow soil. The Nazca cleared away the top to show the lighter colour. The area has a very dry climate and there is little wind.

Archaeologists say this is why the drawings were able to survive.

5. How long did it take to draw them?

We can't be sure, but it probably took hundreds of years to make so many drawings and probably hundreds or even thousands of people made them. We don't know exactly why the Nazca people made them, although they were obviously very important because they spent so long making them.

6. How can we see them today?

The drawings were first discovered in 1927, when a plane was flying across this part of the desert. What is incredible is that because they are so huge, you can only really see them from the air.

Today, people travel in small planes and look down on them, but in those days, how did they see them?

It's a mystery!