Nazca Lines

Over 1,500 geoglyphs etched into the Peruvian desert floor between 500 BCE and 500 CE — figures of animals, plants, and geometric shapes spanning up to 370 meters, visible only from altitude. The hummingbird, spider, monkey, and condor are the most famous, but the majority are straight lines extending for kilometers. Many lines point to underground water sources (puquios), while others align to solstice sunrise and sunset positions. The desert's extreme aridity — less than 2.5 centimeters of rain per year — has preserved the lines for 2,000 years. Maria Reiche, who devoted her life to their study, believed they formed an astronomical calendar. At 63.11° to Giza, the lines connect to the global grid system.