Just two hours from Ica, 50 km of desert floor were covered by
monumental drawings, for hundreds of years, figures representing
large mammals, insects, and gods. The Nasca lines, so called since
its discovery in 1927; it is the most amazing ever trace left by a
culture forged 300 years before the Christian era: the result of their
complex designs and layouts, some of almost 30 meters in length,
can only be seen from the sky at 1,500 feet. The Nasca, as might be
expected, could not have known about flight. How then were these
drawings designed ? What technology did you use? More
importantly perhaps for whom were they placed there?
There are many theories that have sprung up around these
mysterious engravings- from those suggesting runways for
extraterrestrial beings to those been seen as giant seismograph
lines- it is likely that, as noted by Maria Reiche, a German scholar
who dedicated her life to studying the lines, it is a monumental
astronomical calendar whose figures marked different solar phases
or periods. Reiche was also called by locals the “angel of the
Pampas,” who discovered the ancient practice of digging into the
harsh, dry desert floor to coat with stones from faraway places. The
gypsum component that exists in the region has helped to establish,
for thousands of years, the now famous images: the hummingbird,
the spider, the condor, the monkey … more than thirty
representations are registered there.
Esoteric land of deep religious faith, dunes, valleys and sun.Ica is a
quintessential farming area where fields of cotton, butter beans,
asparagus, citrus groves and vineyards alternate with vast deserts
and stunning color textures. Some of the most important
civilizations of ancient Peru developed in these territories, Paracas
and Nasca, who left a legacy that endures despite the weather,
sand and wind.
The National Reserve of Paracas is a must see- a protected area
by the State. its beaches and rock formations of impressive beauty
shelter fur seals, otters, penguins, dolphins and more than two
hundred species of birds such as flamingos, migratory shore birds
and seabirds. In the province of Nasca, a little over 100 km from
the city of Ica, the Nasca Lines are found. One of the greatest
archeological mysteries in the world. Declared Cultural Heritage
Site by UNESCO in 1994. They are a series of lines and gigantic
drawings traced upon the sand, pointing out a spider, a
hummingbird, a monkey, which can be seen flying over the area.
Vineyards can also be visited there. They produce delicious pisco
and wine of excellent quality. The Huacachina Lagoon, a beautiful
oasis just minutes from the city of Ica, located between sand dunes,
and Chincha, the valley where Afro-Peruvian music originated.