Archaeologists report that they have discovered a new figure. Among the sand dunes to the so-called geoglyphs of hummingbirds, monkeys, killer whales or figures, which some like to claim to be astronauts, a giant cat has been added. Scientists estimate its age to be more than 2,000 years, the news server writes BBC.
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At the same time, little was enough and the geoglyph never had to be discovered. Archaeologists accidentally found the cat figure during the modification of the trail to one of the hills, which serves as an observation point and other desert drawings can be seen from it.
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“The pattern was barely visible and almost disappeared because it is located on a relatively steep slope that is prone to erosion,” the Peruvian Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
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The 37-meter-long drawing with clearly visible lines between 30 and 40 centimeters thick represents a cat with its head turned. Experts conclude that this is a depiction of a resting cat. Scientists date its origin to the years 200 to 100 BC.
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“It is quite remarkable that we are still finding new shapes. We know that we can still discover more, “the EFE agency quoted leading archaeologist Johny Isla as saying. According to him, another 80 to 100 patterns have appeared on the plains near the towns of Palpa and Nazca in recent years, all of which are older than the Nazca culture, which, according to available knowledge, was “to blame” for the most famous geoglyphs. “They are small, drawn on the slopes of a hill and clearly belong to an earlier tradition,” he said of the newly discovered geoglyphs of Isla.
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According to him, it comes from members of the late culture of Paracas from 500 BC to 200 AD. Experts also deduce this from the way it is depicted.
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“We know this from a comparison of iconography; for example, the textiles of this culture depict birds, cats and figures that are easily comparable to these geoglyphs, ”adds Isla.
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The significance of geoglyphs has never been fully understood. Some experts believe that they were sacrifices for the pleasure of the gods.
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During the pandemic, research and conservation work is underway on the plain. Most patterns are prone to erosion, threatened by human activity. Before the pandemic ended the tours, visitors were allowed to view geoglyphs only from aircraft and designated views.
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