It was an ordinary day. Checking a variety of photographs taken of the catlike geoglyph that allegedly dates back to 200 B.C. to 100 B.C. In case you might not know, a geoglyph is a large design or motif produced on the ground and typically formed by clastic rocks or similarly durable elements of the landscape, such as stones, stone fragments, gravel or earth.
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The catlike geoglyph found in Peru.
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The catlike geoglyph stretches for about 40 yards on a hillside in Peru in an area known as The Nazca Lines. The Nazca Lines were first discovered by a Peruvian aerial surveyor in 1927. Images of a hummingbird, monkey, spider, fish, condor, heron, lizard, dog, orca and human were unearthed at the site in years past. Other shapes include trees and flowers. Scholars differ in interpreting the purpose of the designs, but they ascribe religious significance to them. UNESCO has designated the Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa a World Heritage Site since 1994. The new discovery, shows a creature with pointy ears, orb-like eyes and a long striped tail. Hey, that sounds like my cat! And, the cat was said to be lounging just like my cat does all the time. The new discovery is believed to be older than any of the prehistoric geoglyphs previously unearthed. The chief archaeologist for the Nazca lines, Johny Isla, believes that there are more geoglyphs to be found. All the geoglyphs are believed to have been created when ancient Peruvians scraped off a dark and rocky layer of earth which contrasts with lighter-colored sand underneath.  |
| The cat-like image can be seen here. |
The geoglyphs were believed to be travel markers. Through the use of drones, the exploration for more geoglyph has become possible. The latest discovery was found between the towns of Nazca and Palpa, in a desert plain about 250 miles southeast of the capitol, Lima. Since the earlier discoveries, research and conservation has continued at the site even during the coronavirus pandemic. Archaeologists and employees were working on the Mirador natural, a lookout point in the protected site, when they began unearthing something intriguing. Eventually they found the body of a cat. The catlike figure is on a steep slope that's prone to the effects of natural erosion, so the authorities have stopped trespassing on the site for fear the lines and figures will be affected. They are very concerned, since other sites have been damaged due to visitors walking on the site. Deliberate destruction has also occurred at the Nazca Lines recently which drew widespread condemnation.  |
The image can be seen from a distance.
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Why someone would intentionally want to destroy a historical site is beyond me. Seems that the first mention of the Nazca Lines was by Pedro Cieza de León in his book of 1553 when he described them as trail markers. About 30 years later Luis Monzón reported having seen ancient ruins in Peru, including the remains of "roads". The first report of the lines in the 20th century came from Peruvian military and civilian pilots. Paul Kosok, an American historian from Long Island University is credited as the first scholar to study the Nazca Lines. Determining how they were made seems to be much easier than why they were made. Archaeological surveys of the area have found wooden stakes in the ground at the end of some of the lines, which supports that the Nazca people could have used simple tools to construct the lines. How, when and why they were made are still being determined, but it is amazing that they have lasted all this time. I would love to visit sometime and take a helicopter trip over the landscape to see the creatures for myself. But, that's probably never going to happen. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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