Japanese researchers, with the support of artificial intelligence, discovered 303 new geoglyphs in the Nazca Desert, Peru.
These figures, dated to more than 2,000 years ago, reveal new aspects of the Nazca culture and mark a milestone in the use of technology to explore the past.
A thousand-year-old map rediscovered
By: Gabriel E. Levy B.
The Nazca geoglyphs are not a recent find. These enigmatic figures carved into the arid surface of the Peruvian desert have been the object of fascination since archaeologist Toribio Mejía Xesspe first observed them in 1927.
Although his initial studies were limited, he opened the door to research that, decades later, would involve specialists from all over the world.
These lines, often visible only from above, became an archaeological mystery that combined artistic majesty with questions about the life of the Nazca civilization, which thrived between 200 B.C. and 700 A.D.
The German mathematician Maria Reiche was one of the key figures in the study of geoglyphs. Nicknamed “the Lady of Nazca”, she dedicated more than 40 years to measuring, analyzing and preserving these gigantic figures.
His most celebrated hypothesis proposed that these lines could have functioned as an astronomical calendar, designed to follow the solar and lunar cycles.
In a region where agriculture depended on scarce and unpredictable rainfall, accurate knowledge of the seasons was crucial for survival. Reiche also documented animal figures, such as the hummingbird, monkey, and spider, speculating that these could have ritual or mythological meanings.
However, not everyone agreed with Reiche.
Paul Kosok, an American historian who worked with her, suggested a different interpretation: the lines and figures were not just a calendar, but ceremonial routes linked to water rituals.
In a land scarred by drought, water was not only a vital resource, but also a spiritual symbol.
These ceremonies, according to Kosok, could have sought the blessing of the gods to ensure the fertility of the soil and the sustenance of the community.
Despite this research, the tools of analysis in the twentieth century were limited by traditional methods.
Aerial exploration allowed for an initial mapping of the geoglyphs, but the rugged terrain and immensity of the desert complicated efforts to understand the magnitude of these works.
This landscape began to transform with the advancement of technology, and today, artificial intelligence has become a revolutionary tool in this field.
The recent discovery of 303 new geoglyphs, announced in September 2024 by a team from Yamagata University in collaboration with IBM Research, marks a milestone in modern archaeology.
The use of artificial intelligence made it possible to analyze high-resolution satellite imagery and geospatial data with unprecedented accuracy.
This approach allowed the researchers to identify patterns that would have remained hidden from the human eye.
According to Masato Sakai, leader of the Japanese team, “AI not only speeds up the process, but allows us to reconstruct a more complete map of how the Nazca interacted with their environment.”
This technology has revealed not only new figures, but also how they were integrated into the daily life and ritual of the Nazca.
The impact of this breakthrough is not limited to the number of geoglyphs discovered, but opens up new perspectives on their purpose and significance.
The newly found figures include animals such as camelids and birds, as well as human representations, and have been classified into two main categories: linear geoglyphs, which likely functioned as ceremonial routes to religious centers such as Cahuachi, and relief geoglyphs, smaller and closer to roads, which could be related to ritual or everyday activities.
This breakthrough demonstrates how archaeology, when combined with advanced technological tools, can unearth the secrets of the past in ways that were previously unimaginable. In the case of Nazca, artificial intelligence has not only made it possible to discover new figures, but also to generate new questions:
What motivated the Nazca to dedicate so much effort to these monumental creations?
How did they manage to coordinate their work on such a vast and precise scale?
These questions remind us that, despite technological advances, the legacy of this civilization remains a mystery that mixes the human, the artistic and the spiritual.
Desert Figures: Rituals and Paths
The discovery of 303 new geoglyphs expands our understanding of the purpose and distribution of these figures.
Classified into two main types, linear and relief geoglyphs, these images offer clues to the life of the Nazca civilization, which inhabited the region between 200 B.C. and 700 A.D.
The large linear geoglyphs are located on routes that connect with Cahuachi, the main Nazca ceremonial center.
These lines not only directed human transit, but probably symbolized sacred paths that linked the earthly with the divine.
On the other hand, the relief figures, smaller and located near ancient roads, show representations of animals such as camelids and birds, as well as human figures. Their proximity to inhabited areas suggests that they had a more everyday purpose, perhaps associated with domestic rituals or territorial markers.
What emerges from this analysis is a civilization deeply connected to its landscape. The lines were not simple drawings; they were narratives carved into the earth, which guided, warned, and celebrated the Nazca’s relationship with the gods and the natural environment.
Archaeology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
The use of artificial intelligence to unravel the past raises a fascinating question: how will technology redefine the study of ancient cultures?
In the case of the Nazca geoglyphs, AI has not only facilitated the discovery of new figures, but has also made it possible to analyze their distribution and meaning in record time.
According to a study published in Nature in 2023, artificial intelligence tools can reduce the time needed to map and analyze archaeological structures by up to 80%.
This not only saves resources, but also allows you to focus on cultural interpretation, a task that still requires sensitivity and human context.
However, some critics, such as British archaeologist Julian Thomas, warn that technology should not replace experience in the field. “The risk is that we become so data-driven that we forget the human dimension of these discoveries,” he says.
In Nazca, AI has also raised new questions. For example, why are certain figures found in seemingly isolated areas? What relationship did the lines have with inhabited settlements? Resolving these unknowns will require a constant dialogue between technological tools and traditional methodologies.
From the sand to the algorithm: recent cases
The case of Nazca is not unique. In recent years, artificial intelligence has revolutionized other aspects of archaeology.
In 2017, a team from the University of Birmingham used algorithms to identify buried structures at Stonehenge, revealing previously unknown paths and pits.
In Egypt, the use of satellite imagery helped uncover more than 17 pyramids buried under the sand, according to a BBC report.
Another significant example is the Google Arts & Culture project, which uses AI to digitally reconstruct monuments destroyed by conflict, such as the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria.
These initiatives not only recover the past, but preserve it for future generations, a crucial effort in a world where climate change and human activity constantly threaten cultural heritage.
In conclusion, the discovery of 303 new geoglyphs in Nazca, powered by artificial intelligence, not only expands our knowledge about the Nazca culture, but demonstrates the immense potential of technology to rewrite history. However, this breakthrough also reminds us that, behind every line and every figure, there are human stories that should not be forgotten. Archaeology, now more than ever, is a bridge between the past and the future, a dance between analog and digital that redefines our connection to the civilizations that came before us.
