To date, researchers have discovered 430 geoglyphs dating back approximately 2,000 years, with 318 of these cases identified by Yamagata University.
According to a reporter in Tokyo on September 24, researchers at Yamagata University (Japan) announced they have found 303 new geoglyphs on the Nazca Plateau, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Peru, using artificial intelligence (AI).
Additionally, the research team appears to have deciphered the meanings of the geoglyphs, depicting scenes of sacrifice and locations for rituals.
Thanks to new technology, the number of discovered geoglyphs has nearly doubled. (Source: Latin American Post)
These findings mark the result of a 6-month field survey conducted by Yamagata University, which has been studying these massive geoglyphs in the Peruvian desert.
To date, researchers have documented 430 geoglyphs, with 318 identified by Yamagata University, which has been researching this topic since 2004.
Previously, the university identified geoglyphs using satellite images and other sources.
Through a new collaborative research project with IBM Research utilizing AI, they discovered 303 new geoglyphs between September 2022 and February 2023.
Thanks to this new technology, the number of discovered geoglyphs has nearly doubled. The geoglyphs are categorized into two types: “surface” and “line” types.
All 303 newly discovered geoglyphs are of the “surface” type, where stones have been removed to create shapes. These geoglyphs are aligned along trails depicting humans and livestock.
Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Yamagata University, Masato Sakai, stated: “The humanoid figures depict human sacrifices to the gods. People of that time learned about the role of sacrifices of humans and livestock by observing them while walking.”
Meanwhile, the “line” geoglyphs include the famous Nazca hummingbird, which is placed at the starting and ending points of pilgrimage routes.
According to Professor Sakai, it is likely that these geoglyphs were previously used as ceremonial spaces shaped like animals.
He remarked: “At that time, society did not have written language. People learned about the roles of humans and animals by looking at the images and using them as places to perform rituals.”
