The arid desert of southern Peru houses one of mankind's greatest unsolved mysteries. The Nasca Lines comprise at least 15,000 geoglyphs etched into the desert sands: human and animal figures, geometric shapes, and radial lines crisscrossed over wide expanses of desert. The Nasca people flourished here between 200 BC and 700 AD. But the harsh environment led them to take extreme measures in order to survive. In this program, an international team of modern archaeologists led by Markus Reindel and Johnny Isla engages in an unprecedented effort to build a comprehensive, three-dimensional digital model of the lines to answer questions about their construction, chronology, and significance. Excavations in the surrounding mountains led by archaeologist Christina Conlee uncover extraordinary clues about the people who made them - and why. The Nasca Lines Decoded unlocks one of mankind's greatest secrets.
The arid desert of southern Peru houses one of mankind's greatest unsolved mysteries. The Nasca Lines comprise at least 15,000 geoglyphs etched into the desert sands: human and animal figures, geometric shapes, and radial lines crisscrossed over wide expanses of desert. The Nasca people flourished here between 200 BC and 700 AD. But the harsh environment led them to take extreme measures in order to survive. In this program, an international team of modern archaeologists led by Markus Reindel and Johnny Isla engages in an unprecedented effort to build a comprehensive, three-dimensional digital model of the lines to answer questions about their construction, chronology, and significance. Excavations in the surrounding mountains led by archaeologist Christina Conlee uncover extraordinary clues about the people who made them - and why. The Nasca Lines Decoded unlocks one of mankind's greatest secrets.
General Note
Encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on May 18, 2013.
Learn360 is distributed by Infobase for Films for the Humanities & Sciences, Cambridge Educational, Meridian Education, and Shopware.
Content Note
Nazca: Prehistoric Civilization (3:03) -- Nazca Line Builders (3:25) -- Thousands of Nazca Lines (3:13) -- Modern Archeology: Technology (3:59) -- Iconic Geoglyphs (3:56) -- Construction of Nazca Lines (2:40) -- Water: Essential Commodity (4:18) -- Sacrifices to Appease the Gods (2:16) -- Water: Secret to Survival (3:51) -- Water Rights (2:14) -- Death in the Desert (2:22) -- Ceremonial Temple (2:40) -- Religious Significance of Glyphs (4:32) -- Importance of Human Sacrifice (3:59) -- Legacy and Mystery (1:47) -- Credits: Nazca Decoded (0:16).