Chicago Tribune: Nazca photos deepen mystery

Back in April, we noted the discovery of new Nazca lines in Peru, discovered by a Japanese expedition.

Now, Nazca line experts are beginning to explain how poorly documented the existing lines are and why they cannot confirm that these are “newly discovered” or just older lines that weren’t well documented.

Peruvian officials expressed excitement about the announcement. But Nazca experts said the Japanese discoveries might merely be good photographs of previously known lines.

“Saying these figures are new is a risk,” said Josue Lancho Rojas, a Nazca historian and writer. “You cannot say at this time that there are any virgin sites.”

Even if the Japanese figures are not new, the announcement exposed shortcomings in Nazca scholarship. And it raised new questions about the Peruvian government’s commitment to sophisticated scientific study.

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