Which pre-Columbian civilization created the Nazca Lines?

The Nazca culture created the Nazca Lines, enormous geoglyphs etched into the desert of southern Peru. The culture flourished in the valleys of the Nazca and Ica regions and is generally dated to the Early Intermediate Period, roughly 100 BC to AD 800.

The lines were made by removing the dark, iron-oxide-coated stones covering the desert surface and exposing the lighter soil beneath. Because the region is exceptionally dry and receives little rain, the contrasting markings survived for centuries. The designs include long straight lines, geometric shapes, trapezoids, and recognizable figures such as a hummingbird, monkey, spider, and condor.

The geoglyphs were created over several phases. Some early designs are associated with the preceding Paracas tradition, while the largest and most famous group belongs to the Nazca period. For that reason, archaeological discussions sometimes refer to both Paracas and Nazca cultural contributions, but “Nazca culture” remains the standard quiz answer to this question.

Their purpose is still debated. Proposed explanations include ceremonial routes, rituals connected with water and mountains, and astronomical alignments. Archaeologists have shown that simple tools, ropes, stakes, and careful planning were sufficient to build them, so the ancient astronaut theory is unsupported.