In the heart of the Ica desert

The Nazca district is one of the five provinces that make up the Ica region. Located between the towns of Nazca and Palpa, on the southern coast in the “Rio Nazca” valley, Nazca sits at 520 meters above sea level and enjoys a dry, sunny climate.

The Nazca and Paracas cultures

In these arid lands the Nazca culture developed (100-800 AD), a direct descendant of the Paracas civilization (900 BC-400 AD). During this period, the Nazca culture developed a powerful religious system that, together with the Moche culture of Peru's northern coast, produced an exceptional level of craftsmanship, especially evident in its ceramics and textiles. Most of the lines created in this period are found near the villages of La Quebrada del Frayle, Cahuachi, Palpa and Ingenio, concentrated in the Pampa de Jumana.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994

The Nazca Lines number more than 800 geoglyphs, cover 450 square kilometers and make up the most important group of geoglyphs in the world, stretching from the desert to the foothills of the Andes. The lines are covered in sand and gravel and have taken on a dark patina from weathering: removing the gravel reveals lighter layers of color underneath, which contrast sharply with the darker surface. They were drawn using a single continuous line – the longest measuring 285 meters – and in 1994 were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The two categories of geoglyphs

The geoglyphs fall into two categories. The first group (around 70) depicts a variety of natural forms, such as the spider, the monkey, the guanay cormorant, the lizard, the hummingbird, the killer whale, flowers, plants and trees: the largest of all is the pelican (285 meters). The second group (more than 300) consists of geometric shapes: triangles, rectangles, spirals and wavy lines, generally straight, crossing parts of the Nazca plateau for several kilometers.

The discovery and studies of Maria Reiche

The Nazca Lines were revealed to the world by scientist Paul Kosok in 1939, during a survey aimed at locating ancient irrigation channels. No one knows the exact purpose of the Nazca Lines: the most widely accepted theories suggest they were used for religious rites or for astronomical study, a view supported above all by the work of Maria Reiche.

Maria Reiche arrived in Peru in 1932 to work as a private tutor for the children of the German consul in Cusco, later becoming a teacher in Lima. Over time she devoted herself increasingly to the study of the lines, eventually moving to Nazca: for more than 50 years she carried out research on the Nazca plateau, measuring and developing her theories, and became so passionate about her work that she began physically protecting the lines from vehicles and people.

According to the theory developed by Maria Reiche, the lines were created by the Paracas and Nazca civilizations between 900 BC and 600 AD, with a smaller contribution from the Wari in the 7th century: Reiche was convinced they formed part of an astronomical calendar, laid out using sophisticated mathematical calculations.

In April 1993, the President of Peru awarded Professor Reiche the “Order of the Sun with the rank of Grand Cross,” in recognition of her work.

Because of their enormous size, the only way to fully appreciate the Nazca Lines is from above: the condor is one of the most beautiful and fascinating figures drawn there, and we're proud to use it as the symbol of our company.