Assessment Questions 13.2

The Nazca lines were ceremonial pathways, and the effigies represented gods and spirits. The text debunks the popular claim that the Nazca lines were airfields used by extraterrestrial visitors, emphasizing that archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence supports the ceremonial and spiritual significance of the lines.

Recent research, combining the use of drones and data collected through Sarah Parcak's GlobalXplorer project, has resulted in the discovery of 50 more ground drawings in Peru. The newfound geoglyphs, including lines, polygons, and images of warriors, date to as much as 2,500 years ago, predating the Nazca culture and their well-known ground drawings by about 700 years. This discovery shows that massive drawings in the highland deserts of South America have a longer history than previously suspected.

Sarah Parcak is a "space archaeologist," and the GlobalXplorer project involves an army of volunteers from around the world who examine aerial images to search for possible archaeological sites. The project utilizes modern technology, including drones, to uncover and document archaeological features.