Carpe Diem #1437 Nazca Culture

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

This journey into the high mountains of the Andes is almost done. We have only one week to go, so what can I tell you more on this journey? Well ... the Andes has a very rich history and there were several cultures e.g. the Inca, as we have seen already. But as I was preparing this episode I ran into an article on National Geographic about the so called Nazca lines, once created by the Nazca culture (300 B.C - 600 A.D.).

Nazca lines (monkey)

It's a spectacular sight all these geometric forms. There are still a lot of questions about these figures, but it's said that the Nazca people carved them. There are a lot of these figures, not only figures like the above Monkey, but also geometric figures like the one hereafter.

Hindu Mandala in Nazca lines

There are really a lot of ideas about these lines, but the Nazca culture itself isn't really known. So I just have to tell you a little bit about the Nazca culture.

The Nazca culture was developed on the coast of Ica department, with the main center of the city of Cahuachi in the Rio Grande Valley. Nazca was an ancient civilization that emerged in the province of Nazca, around the first century and into decline in the sixth century. It was located along the Rio Grande between the years 300 BC to 600 A.D. Had an area of influence that extended to the north Pisco to Arequipa in the south and east to Ayacucho. Until the sixth century increased their contacts with the Andes, reaching even into the highlands of Ayacucho. This contact was especially important in the formation of the Huari culture.

An outstanding feature is its polychrome pottery with figures of men, animals, plants, etc. In many of these ceramics, mutilated men are represented. The textile art flourished as much as in the time of the Paracas. They had an own style of metalworking, although of lesser quality at the time of Chavin.

According to many researchers Nazca culture would be a continuity of Paracas culture (Necropolis period), as both peoples had developed customs and advanced farming techniques. It was a society based on agriculture, although located in one of the most deserted areas of the Peruvian coast. To produce their foods use fully the river flows in summer, using reservoirs and canals. They were also militarist States. The military of the Nazca culture were very courageous and so gained a special place in the social pyramid with the priests. The peasants were at the service of a warrior aristocracy and theocracy residing in beautiful pyramid-shaped ceremonial centers. Examples of adobe architecture are the ruins of Kahuachi, the Tinguiña, Tambo Viejo, Huaca Dos Palmos and Chaviña. Also they built with thick trunks of Huarango as shown in the Estaquería.

Nazca architecture at Cahuachi (Peru)

The most impressive of this civilization are the lines made in the Pampas of Nazca and other sites on the southern coast of Peru. The Nazca lines are located in a geographical area with little rainfall, demonstrating knowledge of geography and meteorology. Twenty miles from the city of Nazca is located Chauchilla Cemetery, an open air cemetery where despite the looting you can still see mummies in good condition and pottery.

Must have been an awesome culture ...

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until May 28th at noon (CEST). I will try to publish our new episode later on.

For now ... have fun! Be inspired and share your wonderful poetry with us all.