These SpectaculaThese Spectacular Aqueducts from the Nazca Culture, Constructed 1,500 Years Ago in the Peruvian Desert, Are Still in Use Today
The Cantalloc Aqueducts, constructed by the Nazca people during the pre-Columbian era of Peruvian history, still serve their original purpose of providing water to the parched area for local farmers.
Researchers from the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, under the direction of Rosa Lasaponara, recently examined satellite images to gain more knowledge about the “puquios,” a system of aqueducts situated 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) west of the Peruvian city of Nazca..The Nazca civilization built roughly 40 of these aqueducts, and they were used all year round.
These buildings in the lowlands of Peru were constructed only 2.5 miles (4 km) east of the well-known Nazca lines. The structures may also have the same theme because they are not only physically adjacent to one another, but there have been theories that the lines symbolized the pursuit of water, the resource that the Nazca aqueducts were built to harness. In addition to their helpful function of improving the soil’s hospitability for crops, these canals, like the Nazca lines, are thought to have also had some form of sacred function.
The aqueducts’ discovery demonstrated the Nazca civilization’s sophisticated state. These “puquios,” or spiral constructions, were a component of a hydraulic system used to collect and direct water. The irregularly shaped holes allowed the wind to flow into a network of tunnels, forcing water from underground aquifers into places most needed. Thirty of the puquios are still used by farmers today, demonstrating how well they were built.
The fact that a network may be complex and durable shows that its designers were aware of the geology of the area and its water supply patterns throughout the year.
River valleys on Peru’s arid southern coast include the Rio Grande de Nazca watershed and the Ica Valley..the Nazca culture flourished from approximately 100 BC to 800 AD. The Nazca culture produced a variety of crafts and technologies, including ceramics, textiles, geoglyphs, and, of course, aqueducts. The Paracas culture, which came before them, had a reputation for producing highly complex textiles.
The Nazca people, who formerly lived in the Ica Region of Peru, are most known for the Nazca Lines, a vast network of unidentified drawings in the desert. These incredible water networks are just one of the many remarkable things about the Nazca people. The oldest of these lines is a reasonably fat cat, as it was just discovered.
The Nazca were astute observers of the wide maritime world, as were other Coastal Andean peoples of South America. As an illustration, consider the whale tooth below, which was used to create a beautiful woman.
A dyadic contrast existed between the earth’s fresh waters, its salty ocean, and its strange species. An object is carved.
Sperm whale tooth, shell, and hair-based Nazca female effigy sculpture. A Huaca, a sacred site where divine spirits are concentrated, may have received this female figure initially dressed in attire fitting to her meaning as a ritual deposit or building dedication cache.
Back to the fantastic aqueduct systems of the Nasca, though. The word “puquios” relates to the spiral-shaped origin locations; they were built to transfer water from mountain springs.
Wooden roofs are frequently used to cover these springs, have stone walls, and are extremely high up the sides of the mountains. Water is transported from the puquios to the lowland fields by being forced via deep ditches.
The aqueducts’ courses are simple to follow because they were constructed to resemble enormous curves. The Nazca avoided flooding by designing their curving rivers so that the water would not flow too swiftly as the snow melted in the spring.
Ojos, which is Spanish for “eyes,” is the name given to these spirals.. You can walk into them, spiraling down on stone steps to the bottom’s cooling wells. The aqueducts need annual upkeep, and the farmers descend from the ‘ojos’ to clear the canals.In return, they receive a lushly vegetated area that is a great spot to hike and offers breathtaking vistas of mountains in all directions.
Apart than what has already been discussed, all we know about the Nazca is the creativity that can be seen in their creations. For those who intend to visit the Nazca Lines, these cutting-edge water management technologies are a must-see. The Cantalloc Aqueducts show a sophisticated and elegant religious life, while the lines showr Aqueducts from the Nazca Culture, Constructed 1,500 Years Ago in the Peruvian Desert, Are Still in Use Today