What new shapes were recently discovered among the Nazca Lines of Peru?
AI just found 303 new giant drawings in the Peruvian desert that had been invisible for 2,000 years. Some of them are deeply bizarre.
The answer
In September 2024, researchers from Yamagata University in Japan, led by Masato Sakai, announced the discovery of 303 previously unknown Nazca geoglyphs using AI-assisted aerial survey analysis - nearly doubling the known total to 733. These newly found figures, dating from 200 BCE to 700 CE, depict humanoid figures, decapitated heads, domesticated animals, and wild creatures including orcas and felines. The smaller geoglyphs, averaging 2–6 meters in size, were likely created by individuals or small groups as markers along walking paths, unlike the massive geometric lines visible only from aircraft. The AI system, trained on existing geoglyph data, scanned drone and satellite imagery to identify subtle surface variations.
Source: Nature
- Nazca Lines
- Peru
- AI archaeology
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