Drawings Only Giants Could See

The Nazca Lines of Peru have survived two thousand years in the desert, yet their purpose remains one of archaeology's most debated questions.

• Some stretch over 300 meters and are only fully visible from the air
• Construction used simple wooden stakes and string — a small team could finish a figure in days
• Theories range from astronomical markers to ritual pathways to water worship
• Climate change and urban expansion now threaten these ancient designs

Despite decades of research, new lines are still being discovered. In 2020, a previously unknown cat geoglyph turned up on a hillside, measuring 37 meters long.