PERU'S PALPA GEOGLYPHS:

 

Palpa geoglyphs, Paracas culture, Peru. Internet image.

  Close-up, Palpa geoglyphs, Paracas culture,                   Peru. Internet image.

Everyone interested in rock art knows about the Nasca geoglyphs in Peru, but not everyone knows of the geoglyphs around the nearby town of Palpa which are considered to be centuries older, created by the fascinating Paracas culture.

Palpa geoglyphs, Paracas culture, Peru. Internet image.

“The valleys of Palpa and Nasca share a combined cultural history, with the Palpa area of the Nasca basin containing geoglyphs and linear features that are comparable in quality and complexity to the concentration of lines and geoglyphs on the Nasca desert plains (pampas).

To differentiate the two ‘Nasca geoglyphs’ is used to denote all pre-Hispanic ground carvings in the Nasca drainage, whilst the ‘Palpa geoglyphs’ refers to the subset of geoglyphs located in the area around the present-day town of Palpa.

  Close-up, Palpa geoglyphs, Paracas culture,                   Peru. Internet image.

It is speculated that the Palpa geoglyphs derive from the period of the Paracas culture (800 BC – 100 BC), the precursor to the evolution of the Nasca culture (100 BC – AD800), that are both distinguished by their unique associated ceramics and textiles.” (Heritage Daily 2021)  

  Close-up, Palpa geoglyphs, Paracas culture,                   Peru. Internet image.

There are some apparent differences however. The Nasca lines and shapes are generally on the reasonably flat surface of the Nasca Plain and are not generally believed to be intended to be seen in their entirety from ground level observers. Also most of them are just lines and/or geometric shapes. Many scientists speculate that the Nasca geoglyphs are there for humans to interact with by walking the lines. The Palpa geoglyphs, however, are apparently fantasy anthropomorphs and zoomorphs predominantly, and they are placed on hillsides and slopes so they can be seen and comprehended from the ground level, perhaps ancestors or deities watching over the village.

“The Palpa geoglyphs were mainly position(ed) on sloped terrain near the Rio Grande basin or the Palpa alluvial plain, which allowed the geoglyphs to be seen from a distance. Hardly a trace of use has been associated, making it difficult to theorize their purpose or function in Paracas culture, in marked contrast to later geometric geoglyphs of the Nasca culture.” (Heritage Daily 2021)

Palpa geoglyphs, Paracas culture, Peru. Internet image.

They appear to be more for observing than for interacting with. So, although they are all geoglyphs in the same general region, their meaning and intended purpose must have drastically changed over the intervening centuries.

Another difference is seen in the technique used to create the images. “The early figures were made by removing dark stones from lighter sediments. But, unlike later geoglyphs, the removed stones were not only used for marking the outline of the geoglyph, but were also piled up to form the mouth, eyes, or other anatomical features.” (Heritage Daily 2021)

  Close-up, Palpa geoglyphs, Paracas culture,                   Peru. Internet image.

Also, the Nasca geoglyphs are all relatively simple. Most of them are large but simple geometric figures and lines, even the portrayals of animals are, for the most part, simple outlines. The Palpa geoglyphs, on the other hand, are quite a bit more complex with body details in-filled and ornate headdresses, accessories and decoration.

NOTE: Images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on this you should read the original reports at the site listed below.

REFERENCES:

Archaeology News, 2021, The Mysterious Palpa Geoglyphs, #139923, August 2021, Heritage Daily, https://www.heritagedaily.com