What were the Nazca Lines for?
Most likely: the lines were made and walked in rites concerned with water and fertility, linking line centres, valleys and…Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
Where it stands
Six answers have been proposed. Lines and trapezoids were ceremonial paths, walked in processions, with Cahuachi as the pilgrimage centre. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Five are still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, one is answered.
Answers 6
History
- Aveni puts forward: the lines were made and walked in rites concerned with water and fertility, linking line centres, valleys and…
- Silverman puts forward: lines and trapezoids were ceremonial paths, walked in processions, with Cahuachi as the pilgrimage centre.
- Aveni puts forward: the lines are a calendar or star map, pointing to solstices and constellations.
- Aveni: lines radiate from 62 centres, link to one another and tend toward water courses.For: The lines were made and walked in rites concerned with water and fertility, linking line centres, valleys and…
- Ruggles: azimuths of the radial lines show no significant astronomical patterning beyond a weak solstitial tendency.Against: The lines are a calendar or star map, pointing to solstices and constellations.
- Hartsch et al. puts forward: the lines physically mark subterranean water courses or faults.
- Ruggles & Saunders: lines carry paths and bordering heaps; a 4.4 km labyrinth makes sense only when walked.For: Lines and trapezoids were ceremonial paths, walked in processions, with Cahuachi as the pilgrimage centre.
- Lasaponara et al.: the Nasca built puquios to reach groundwater at the limit of irrigation.For: The lines were made and walked in rites concerned with water and fertility, linking line centres, valleys and…
- Sakai et al. puts forward: small relief-type figures were made for people walking the footpaths between settlements, at individual or…
- Sakai et al.: giant line-type figures, mostly wild animals, lie on average 34 m from the ceremonial line network.For: Lines and trapezoids were ceremonial paths, walked in processions, with Cahuachi as the pilgrimage centre.
- Sakai et al.: relief-type figures lie on average 43 m from ancient trails and 81.6 per cent show humans or human-modified…For: Small relief-type figures were made for people walking the footpaths between settlements, at individual or…
- Andina: the 2025 additions are arranged by theme along small paths (reported, not yet published).For: Small relief-type figures were made for people walking the footpaths between settlements, at individual or…
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