The Nazca Lines in Peru

An aerial view of a geoglyph representing what appears to be a bird.

Aerial view of one of the images etched in the earth near Nazca, Peru. These appear to be hands, but note that one has just four fingers.

Tourists pose next to a sign identifying the Nazca Lines. The riddle of the lines dates back more than 2,000 years.

Aerial view of a depiction of what is believed to be a hummingbird. It’s one of the best preserved of the Nazca Lines figures.

An anthropomorphic geoglyph known as the Astronaut (32 yards tall). The purpose of the Nazca Lines remains unclear. Some theorists believe the Nazca people created them to be seen by their gods, perhaps as a plea for rain in this dry region.

View from a plane of a spider and other lines in the desert floor.

Left, the figure known as the Astronaut. Right, Small passenger planes line up at Maria Reiche Neuman Airport to fly tourists over the Nazca Lines.

German mathematician and archaeologist Maria Reiche (1903-98) researched the Nazca Lines, beginning in 1940, and helped secure recognition for them. They are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Right, aerial view of the hummingbird figure.

Another mystery in this area of Peru: the Cantalloc aqueducts, which spiral to an underground stream.