Top 10 Nazca Line Figures

A few hundred "drawings" that were done at least 1500 years ago in the middle of the nowhere by "primitive" people, has kept modern day scientists and general public scratching their heads. More will be written here about why and how Nazca lines were drawn, but let us see the top ten Nazca line figures. If you would like, you can watch this video of top 10 Nazca figures below:

1. The Astronaut: This is the most controversial figure of all Nazca figures. Its unusually round head, goggle shaped eyes, boots and his index finger pointing to the sky has convinced millions that it is a depiction of an Alien Astronaut.

While a conventional archaeologists are certain that it is in fact a fisherman. They claim that he is holding a fishing net in one hand and you can even see a fish in the drawing. He is also called the "owl man" or the "bird man" by some.

 How tall is this astronaut? The figure is 105 feet long! This Nazca line alone has created considerable amount of heated debate.


2. Whale: The Nazca people depended on fishing for their living, and their lives would have been dangerous whenever the whale appeared. Since fish was a an essential, everyday dish for Nazca people (see Peruvian Delicacies here), the whale is depicted with Nazca lines more than once.

This whale is shown with an open mouth, an eye, flippers and flukes (tail fins). This drawings seems to have been over written by Nazca people themselves, who have drawn thick rectangular lines over the whale.


3. Monkey: This monkey is approximately 180 feet long. His important feature is its tail. Why is this monkey's tail shaped as a spiral? Is it just for artistic value, or does it have some hidden meaning? The face of the monkey is devoid of any features like eyes or nose.

This Nazca figure is just an outline of the monkey. His limbs are well drawn with toes. There is one more curious feature. Between his hind leg and tail, there is another projection that seems to go down, almost from his anus. What is this supposed to mean?


4. Hummingbird: This is a pure beauty. Spanning over 164 feet long, the hummingbird sits at the center of a huge plateau. Unlike most other Nazca figures, the hummingbird seems to be a lonely geoglyph on that specific plateau.

Its long, narrow beak, wings and tail are all drawn magnificently by lines with curved edges.

Being the only bird that can fly backwards, the Nazca figure seems to give credit to this unique bird.


5. Spider Or An Ant? It's head with 2 biting mandibles and a narrow torso clearly depict an ant. After all, spiders do not have a narrow middle section and do not have jaws like that. However, this figure has 8 legs like a spider, not 6 legs like an ant.

So what the heck is this? An ant or a spider? A hybrid of an Ant and Spider? These insects are called "Ant-mimicking spiders" and are actually spiders. They mimic ants to escape predators or to aggressive hunting. It is so interesting that a culture of 1500 years ago drew these special type of insects. There are only about 100 known species of ant mimicking spiders on the world. We think that we discovered "Ant mimicry" less than a century ago. The so called "primitive" Nazca people depicted Ant mimicry at about 500 A.D. Not just a drawing  on a pot or a vessel, but an impressive 151 feet long figure in the middle of Nazca desert.

 A figure so big, that it makes no sense when you look at it from the ground level. Here is another unique feature of this drawing: This complex figure is drawn as one continuous line. There is also one more interesting, unexplained feature. One end of its hind legs, extends into a pair of open parallel lines. The meaning of this is unknown, but this feature is similar to the Nazca monkey. What do these protrusions mean?

     

6. Condor: Andean Condor is a special bird for the people of Peru with an amazing wingspan of over 10 feet. the condor symbolizes rebirth in the Inca Cross, and the Incas built a temple for the condor at Machu Picchu.

It is unknown whether the Nazca people shared similar beliefs about the condor. This Nazca figure is 446 feet long.

This figure has multiple irrelevant lines that cross through it, seemingly drawn at various times.


7. Parrot: Also thought of as a dragonfly, this figure is completely destroyed in the lower part.

The head and the wings are visible including the wattle or the comb,  but human beings have definitely destroyed the latter half of the figure.

 While nature has been so kind in preserving these drawing, we have been reckless and this is a sad reminder of being careless. Ancient Alien theorists have also claimed that this is proof of alien aircraft, as the wings are drawn as parallel rectangular structures, similar to modern day aircrafts.


8. Hands & Tree: These are two separate figures that have narrowly escaped the Peruvian highways. The tree has multiple branches and also has roots.

"The hands" is a mystery till date. It shows a pair of hands, one with 5 fingers and another with 4, but it is linked to a bird like figure.

 Experts still don't agree on what this means and some even think of this as an alien tool or weapon.


9. Dog: Humorously referred to as the oldest dog in the world, the Nazca dog is one of the top 10 Nazca figures. It is approximately 164 feet long.

The dog has 4 legs, a head with an open mouth and an upright. This figure too has a pair of parallel lines protruding between the hind leg and tail.


10. Iguana: The iguana or Lizard drawn with Nazca lines has been cut right in the middle by the Peruvian highway. Sadly, they did not know the importance of Nazca lines when they built the highway.

This wonder has been damaged, but you can still see its head, 2 forelegs and a part of the torso. The entire figure is an impressive 590 feet long.


(Bonus ) Flamingo: Okay, here is one more I couldn't resist mentioning. This is one of the largest of the Nazca lines spanning over 935 feet in length.

This figure is also called the Alcatraz, Pelican or Phoenix. Its main feature is its long, zigzagged neck. The flamingo also has a pair of wings, impressive tail feathers and a pair of legs.

There are some more Nazca lines that are definitely worth looking into. I will post about them soon. While wandering in Nazca city, I also talked to the locals who shared local legends about Nazca lines. More updates are coming soon!

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Alien Tools & Symbols in Unseen Nazca Lines, Peru

When we hear or read about Nazca lines, we often think of animal shaped figures like monkey or spider. Some of may even think of runways that are spread over the entire Nazca desert. But nobody likes to talk about these mysterious symbols that make no sense to us.

Above: A mysterious complicated machine like drawing

 Look at this picture above: What is this? You can mistakenly think of it as an Antler's horn or even a tree's root system. If you believe that Nazca people did their best to draw Antler's horn or roots and this is what they could come up with, you are wrong. Remember, Nazca figures were close to perfect many times, like the spider. So, this is something else, that we cannot understand. Was this an Alien with many limbs? Was this some kind of tools used by superior beings?

Below: The same complicated machine like drawing from a different angle

Look at this one below: A windmill or a fan. But there were no fans or windmills during the time of Nazca! So what does it represent?

Above & Below: A Windmill or a fan like object

Here is another fan or windmill with curved blades. Our modern day historians simply dismiss it as a flower! Could it really be a flower. That seems to make more sense, doesn't it? After all Nazca people were crude human beings with no sense of complicated tools! 

Above: Another windmill with curved blades

Above: A complicated tool with hooks 

Look at the figure above, this is unmistakably a tool. It has four arms of equal length and one longer arm. Each arm has a curved hook at the end. It has a ring in the center. This is just one example of the thousands of Nazca symbols no one wants to talk about.

This one, looks like the head of a modern day rake. What was this used for?

Above & Below: Drawing similar to the edge of a modern day rake

Here is another mind blowing figure. Look at the geometry.Two spiral rectangular lines radiate out and meet at one point. After this point, they become parallel lines.

 Above & Below: An amazingly complex geometry depicted in Nazca

What could this be? Was this a complex tool used by Extra terrestrials? Does this geometry mean anything?

Fish hooks? What are these? These look like fish hooks to us, but are they really fish hooks? Why do they have more than one hook and overlapping lines?

Above: A combination of many hook like, overlapping structure

What about this figure? This is definitely not an animal or a plant, but a mechanical instrument of some kind. Some edges are curved with hooks while some edges are blunt. What could this be? A high tech weapon of some kind? An instrument used for drilling, may be?

Above: A complex tool depicted with Nazca lines

Another superb geometric figure: The smaller circle contains a concentric circle within. Nearby, there is a bigger circle which contains two overlapping rectangles. These two circles are interconnected by lines. What does this mean? Is this some kind of a machine? Remember, archaeologists claim that wheels were not invented and never used in this region. Does this make any sense? Also, notice how perfect these circles are. How were they drawn without any measuring instruments?

Above: A complex geometric figure with multiple circles and rectangles.

A long continuous line, that proceeds to create an illusion of parallel lines. There is also a thicker straight line that cuts through this. Evidently The thicker line must have been drawn after the thinner line.

Above: A line transposes into a series of pseudo-parallel lines

Now you can make a calculated guess if these were done by primitive people without getting any inspiration from external influences. These lines are rarely talked about, and archaeologists deliberately try to hide these symbols in Nazca, just like they do not want to talk about mysterious faces and symbols found in Machu Picchu.  If you are still a skeptic, there is one important question you would want to ask: "If extra terrestrials really visited and inspired the Nazca people, why is there no Nazca line about Aliens or their Aircrafts?" . Just click here for Aliens in Nazca and "Alien Aircrafts Of Nazca".

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The Mysterious Faces and Symbols of Machu Picchu

The vast Inca empire has many hidden mysteries all over the Andean mountain range, and their secret carvings can be seen if you take the time to look for them. In Machu Picchu, you can find many carved faces that are unseen by others. The Incas did not carve perfect figures like Mayas or Dravidians, but carved roughly to make mysterious figures.  Just like the Nazca Lines, the carvings seem to be done, for bigger, superior beings. People pass by in thousands without really looking at these mysteries, and some hidden shapes are just thought of as natural formations. We guarantee you that there are no coincidences are accidents in Machu Picchu.

Above: Rock shows a happy face of life - Note how the crown has been constructed

The faces of Life and Death: A huge rock in Machu Picchu seems like a naturally shaped human face. Watch carefully and you will notice that a crown has been built by the Incas. Also, the eyes have been roughly carved to confirm that the Incas did this on purpose. From one side, you can see that it shows a happy youthful face of life. 

Above: Same rock showing a sad, ghastly face of death

Walk over to the other side of the ruins and take a look at the same rock. You can see a sad, dying face on the same rock. The Incas believed in duality, and this is a remarkable example of illustrating it. The local Quechua people identify this is a god and do not climb over it, unlike the tourists. 

Above: Rock shows the body of the Andean Condor without its best feature: wings

The Andean Condor: In the middle of the ruins, you will find an Andean Condor sculpted on the floor. The rock has been carved like the Condor, but without its wings. An Andean condor without its most important feature, the wings?  Why would the Incas sculpt their sacred bird with a remarkable wingspan of over 10 feet, without the wings? Take a few steps back and look at the bigger picture!

Above: The 2 huge rocks depicting the Condor's wings - The left rock is not touching the ground

You can see that the two huge wing-shaped rocks next to it denoting the wings. Upon careful observation, you can see that the rocks have been carved out to be shaped like wings.

Above: The figure of a sleeping woman. Traces of etched gold were found on this rock.

The Sleeping Woman: So, you had seen a man's face on a Rock, right. If Incas really believed in duality, shouldn't there be a woman too. There is! Take a look at this rock, roughly sculpted to look like a sleeping woman. On the same rock, the samples collected show traces of gold etched on them. Mystery remains why gold was used on this 'Sleeping Woman' rock.

Above: The rocks of a wall in shape of a Llama, an important animal for the Incas

The Llama: In the ruins of Machu Picchu, you will see thousands of rocks of various shapes used for construction. While it seems like the shapes of these rocks have no meaning, many believe that there are secret codes unintelligible to human beings. One one of the walls, you can see the rocks arranged in the shape of a Llama. Since the Incas did not have wheels, Llama was their important beast of burden and transportation. Many statuettes of Llamas covered in animal fat have been found in the Andean Mountain range. Is it a mere coincidence that you see a Llama shaped figure on this wall?

Above: A rock carved exactly like a mountain behind it

The Mountain Shaped Rocks: The Incas learned from the best, the nature itself.  You can find a rock that has been carved exactly like the mountain behind it. Standing in front of this rock, you will see that the shape of the rock perfectly matches the mountain behind it. The Incas worshiped mountains, and it may have been difficult to see that mountain everyday because of fog. For this reason, that mountain had been carved on the rock to worship or meditate everyday.  

Above: Another rock carved exactly like the mountain behind it

Above, You can see another example of rocks modeled after the mountain. Why were these models created? Were these models created for meditation as the mountains can be covered by fog most of the time and it is easy to worship the carved rock? Are these carvings made for Apu, the Inca mountain spirit? 

Above: On the right, man in a fetal position; On the left a rabbit facing him

Man In Fetus Position And The Bunny: Next to the Andean Condor temple, you will see a crude sculpture of a Man in a fetal position and a Viscacha (Andean Rabbit) facing him. The Incas always buried their dead in fetal position as old age signified 'second childhood'. The Incas sacrificed Viscachas for the Condors and for other rituals. Why was the bunny carved facing the man? 

An Inca house top modeled exactly after the mountain behind it. Note how the slopes are aligned.

House Modeled After The Mountain: Similar to the Mountain shaped rock, the houses in Machu Picchu, have tops that are shaped like the mountain behind them. From the front of these tops, you can see that the slopes coincide exactly with the mountain.  Was it constructed to signify something mysterious? It just seems too strange to be a mere coincidence!

If you visit Machu Picchu, take your time to look at these magnificent,  mysterious faces and symbols. Did the Incas carve these things out of boredom? Were they just religious in nature or is it signifies something that is not understood by us? Were the huge rock figures meant to be seen by us, or were they done for someone other than the human race? Like the Nazca Lines, was Machu Picchu designed for heavenly Gods? Coming out of Machu Picchu, we realize that we have more questions than answers. 

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Aguas Calientes - The Machu Picchu Town

Aguas Calientes is recently renamed as the town of Machu Picchu (called Machu Picchu Pueblo in Spanish). This is a town that is completely devoid any personal motor vehicles. Even if you want to, you cannot buy a car or motorcycle and ride it in this town. The only means of transportation to and from this town are trains and helicopters. State operated buses are available between Aguas Calientes and the Machu Picchu ruins. Aguas Calientes is deemed as a sanctuary and all the flora and fauna are preserved here. 

Above: A crowded hot springs pool in Machu Picchu Town.

Hot Springs:

Aguas Calientes means "Hot Springs" in Spanish.  True to its name, it has a very popular hot springs. However, don't let the name fool you.. we went expecting springing hot water from underground and nope..nothing springing from anywhere! You will find about 6 different  pools where there is varying degree of hot water.  It is just static water in pools and some pools are cold too.

• Entrance fee for hot springs: 10 Peruvian sols (US $ 4). The pools can be dirty, smelly and crowded.
• Rent towels for 1 sol in small shops before you enter hot springs. Inside, they are more expensive.
• Rent shorts and ladies swimwear in nearby shops for for 3-5 soles; buy them for 15 soles. 

Above: Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge that is located at the entrance of the ruins.

Hotels in Machu Picchu Town: 

This town is loaded with hotels as this is the closest access point from the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It is only a 30 minute bus ride  away from the entrance of Machu Picchu ruins. The most popular choices for tourists are:

1. Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge: It is located right next to the ruins and has all the amenities. It is a good hotel and save you from going back and forth from the ruins and the town. But it is very EXPENSIVE. It costs from US $ 1000 - 2000 per night! 

2. Sumaq: This is one of the newly built hotels with all the latest amenities. Has an excellent restaurant and bar, and has gained tremendous popularity among Americans. Costs about US $ 300 per night.

3. Inkaterra (Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel): Costs about US 450$ per night, but located in an isolated area. Has a great view, close to the railway station and is perfect for nature lovers and bird watchers.

4. Rupa Wasi Eco Lodge: Costs only about US $ 50 per night. Cheap and offers tree house type of view. It is a good value for the money.

5. La Cabana: Has a decent room, breakfast and most amenities you can think of. Costs about US $ 100 per night, and is a good place to rest to get energized for the Machu Picchu trip. 

Below: Video shows the idyllic town of Machu Picchu, roaming dogs, and children on train tracks.

Other interesting facts about Machu Picchu Town:

1. The river Urubamba flows around the city.

2. Plenty of massage parlors are available here! Looks like it has become a hot business as the tourists come back with sore feet and aching bodies from Machu Picchu visit.

3. Plenty of free roaming dogs on the streets, but they are very friendly. Street dogs are a common sight all over Peru. Cusco, Lima and Nazca all have their share of street dogs as well.

4. There are plenty of restaurants in this town. The most popular one is Inka Wasi  and serves authentic Peruvian food. 

5. Plenty of shops selling knickknacks, souvenirs, alpaca sweaters & shawls, and a wide variety of items. Anything you need from shoes to hats can be bought here.

6. The train track bisects the town into two equal halves.

7. This town has been destroyed by flood and landslides many times, but has been rebuilt time and time again.

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Top 20 Peruvian Foods and Drinks

Peru has plenty of delicacies of its own, and has contributed some extraordinary dishes to the World's cuisine. Since most urban restaurants in Peru serve pizza and burgers, it is easy for tourists to ignore the traditional Peruvian food. However when you try these mouthwatering  Peruvian foods, you will never step into a pizzeria as long as you are in Peru. Here are the top 20 Peruvian foods and drinks. If we left something important, let us know at the 'comments' section at the bottom. 

1. Cuy Al Horno (Roasted Guinea Pig): Roaming in the rustic town of Chivay, we decided to step into a house with a red flag. We can't really call it a flag, it is a stick with a red cloth wrapped around it. The red flag is a symbol that the home serves homemade food. There were plenty of guinea pigs crying wee..wee..in a corral type blockade. There were some tables and chairs next to the corral. You can pick the Guinea pig you like, and it is picked up and roasted in an oven right in front of you.  Next thing you know, the whole guinea pig with its toothy smile is sitting on a plate in front of you. The dish is delicious, but you may feel real guilty for eating the poor guinea pig. Interestingly, guinea pigs are originally from Andes (not Guinea) and they don't belong to pig family either.


2. Carne de Alpaca (Meat of Alpaca): Alpaca is a short, camel like domesticated animal. Alpaca meat has the lowest cholesterol content of all meats and also has very low fat content. Many Peruvians call it the "no fat meat". Alpaca meat has been eaten in Peru since the Pre-incan times, which was the primary source of protein.  Carne de  Alpaca is generally served with onions, broccoli and other seasonings.

3. Pisco Sour: This is the national drink of Peru. It has the base of Pisco (grape brandy) mixed with lime (hence the term sour). The other ingredients are egg white, sweet syrup and angostura bitters. It is served in every bar and club in Peru. In fact, Peru celebrates a public holiday on the first Saturday of February to honor Pisco Sour. This drink is excellent in terms of taste and can definitely give you a good buzz.

4. Anticucho: Looks very similar to beef kebab, but this food is originally from Peru. Beef heart is cut into pieces and cooked after marinating and smearing it with plenty of other ingredients. These ingredients include garlic, vinegar, pepper, lemon juice, beer, wine, oregano and vegetables. Anticucho tastes better than most Indian kebabs and is also consumed as a part of Peruvian ritual during traditional sports in Lima.

5. Rocoto Relleno: Red peppers stuffed with beef, this is one of the spiciest dishes of Peru. The peppers are baked and the insides are carved out. Then, beef is filled into it. In addition to the pepper's spice, the beef itself is cooked with paprika, garlic and onions. Rocoto is a pepper that is only available in Peru, the closest counterpart you will find in the US is red peppers. Eat this slowly, as your tongue could be on fire after a minute!

6. Ceviche (Raw Fish): Also called Seviche, it is raw fish marinated with lime or lemon. Prepared completely without any heat, this dish is served in room temperature and is usually served with chili peppers. Trout is the most common fish served in Peru, and this dish originated from Moors during the Spanish conquest.

7. Coca Sour: Want something stronger, better and more addictive than Pisco Sour? Try the Coca Sour! While this drink is available in sporadic restaurants in Peru, the best Coca sour is made on the streets of Andean mountain range. On the streets of Maca, a small Andean town, we saw an old man make Coca Sour. He had a blender and mixed all the ingredients: grape brandy, egg white, coca leaves and sugar syrup. It cost us 3 Peruvian soles for every drink, but the taste and the buzz was fantastic!

8. Inca Kola: Tasting like cream soda, this is a national icon of Peru. This is more widely sold than Coca Cola in Peru, and is sold in bottles, cans and plastic containers. It is definitely a must try, but it is an acquired taste.  Guess who owns Inka Kola now? Coca Cola!

9. Cusquena Beer: This is the most popular beer in Peru and is the pride of Cusco city. Thousands of bottles of Cusquena are sold on New Year's Eve in Cuzco by street vendors. This beer is manufactured from pure glacier water located 18,000 feet in the Andean mountains. The beer is moderately bitter and is a 100% malt lager. This beer is also called Inca's gold (the only one the Spanish conquistadors did not take?)

10. Lomo Saltado: Salty strips of Sirloin served with onions, tomatoes and parsley. The cooking is done with Asian inspiration and usually served with rice. Of all the cities in Peru, Nazca makes the best Lomo Saltado.

11. Chifa aka Chaufa: This is is not one dish, but refers to the Chinese-Peruvian style of cooking. Over the period of many decades, Chinese cuisine has been adapted and modified by Peruvians. Many of the Chinese ingredients have been replaced by Peruvian ones. You can find many Chifa fast food joints in Peru.  Arroz Chaufa (Fried rice) and 'Airport' are the most common Chifa dishes.

12. Coca leaves:  Like the Dravidians chewing betel leaves, coca leaves have been chewed by Incas for many centuries. Unprocessed Coca leaves are still available in packets in shops all around Peru. They cost 1-2 Peruvian soles. When you put it in your mouth, it gradually makes your mouth numb and has a fun-like pungent taste. This is the same plant used for making Cocaine and the original Coca-Cola! Remember that you can't take coca leaves on airplanes, even through local planes inside Peru. 

13. Coca Candy: Coca leaves are used to make a lot of different sweet varieties. Candies, chocolates, toffees and other coca-sweets are available in Peru. These candies have a sweet-pungent  taste to them. It is recommended that you eat these candies while travelling high altitudes. Like Coca tea, they supposedly cure altitude sickness.

14. Mate de Coca (Coca Tea) : Coca Tea is served in most high altitude places in Peru. In Cusco, they serve it for free in most hotel lobbies. Made from unprocessed coca leaves, this tea acts as a cure for altitude sickness and as a digestive aid. This tea is a stimulant which gives a mild euphoria.  

15. Pastel de Papas (Potato Cake): This is a delicious Peruvian delicacy that contains potatoes, eggs, milks, cheese, onions and garlic. Sometimes it is also spiced up with rocoto peppers. Pastel de papas are also famous in Argentina and Chile, and is slowly becoming a South American food these days.

16. Maiz Morado Dessert (Purple Corn): This is a dessert made from purple corn and tastes like jelly or jam. It is popularly served on all buffet tables in restaurants. 

18. Platano Frito (Fried Sweet Plantains): Completely ripe plantains are sliced up and deep fried in oil. They are served as a part of the meal, not as dessert. These are crisp and sweet and make excellent sides. Platano Fritos are a specialty in Peru, but are found in all Latin countries and Caribbean countries as well.

17. Chicha Morada: This is a non alcoholic, sweet soft drink made from boiled purple corn. It is non carbonated, and is a refreshing drink as corn gives you a spurt of calories. It is on all buffet tables and also sold by street vendors. Don't confuse this drink with Chicha de Jora, an alcoholic drink also from Peru.
 

19. Emoliente:  Who says mixed fruit juices should be served cold? Try this hot mix of fruits and herbs served on streets for a half Peruvian sole. Even better, you can pick and choose your own mix of fruits and herbs! This drink is a great value, very healthy and surprisingly stimulating.  

20. Arequipena Beer: Like Cusquena, Arequipena is also a popular. It is sold all around Peru, but mostly in the Arequipa region. The beer is yellow in color and has 5% alcohol (by volume). The other popular beers in Peru are Cristal and Pilsen. 

If you visit Peru, don't forget to try these foods and drinks. If you are a Peruvian and if we missed something out, throw it in the 'comments' section!

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