The Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are giant drawings in the desert of Peru. They were made by the Nazca people more than 1,500 years ago. There are over 800 straight lines and hundreds of shapes. Some shapes look like animals, plants, and people. The drawings are so big you can only see them from an airplane.

How They Were Made

The Nazca people made the lines by moving rocks off the ground. Under the top layer of stones, the dirt is a lighter color. When they moved the dark stones away, the lighter dirt showed through. The dry desert weather has kept the lines looking the same for over 1,000 years. Almost no rain ever falls in this area.

Strange Shapes

Some Nazca Lines look like a hummingbird, a monkey, a spider, and a whale. One shape looks like a giant tree. Another looks like a person with big round eyes. No one knows exactly why the Nazca people made them. Some think they were used in religious ceremonies. Others think they had something to do with stars and water.

Fun Facts

• The biggest Nazca figure is a bird over 900 feet long.
• The lines were first seen clearly in the 1920s when planes flew over them.
• There are more than 70 animal and plant shapes in all.

Did You Know?

The Nazca Lines are so big that one line stretches for more than 30 miles across the desert.