A recent study has shown how artificial intelligence is transforming archaeology especially at the Nazca Pampa, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Located in Peru, this desert plateau is famous for its mysterious geoglyphs – designs carved into the earth by ancient civilizations. By using AI technology researchers have uncovered 303 additional geoglyphs in a span of six months, nearly doubling the number of known figures shedding new light on their meanings and patterns.
Annotation: The civilization of Nazca, which thrived in southern Peru from 100 BCE to 800 CE, is famous for its cutting edge farming techniques specifically the puquios – subterranean water channels that made agriculture possible in the desert. They were skilled in creating detailed pottery and textiles featuring designs of animals, plants and human forms, illustrating the significance of these aspects in their way of life.
Geoglyph Types and Purposes
The Nazca lines are categorized into two types, the Line type and the Relief type. These geoglyphs differ not just in appearance and dimensions but also in their designs locations, and intended purposes. The Line type geoglyphs, which are around 90 meters long often depict creatures like birds and monkeys. These have been believed to be connected to ceremonial pathways playing a role in community rituals. On the other hand the Relief type geoglyphs, which are approximately nine meters in size, display scenes of severed heads and animals. These geoglyphs are commonly found near winding paths indicating a potential purpose for personal or small group observation.
The Role of AI in Discovery
Prior to the use of AI finding new geoglyphs relied on surveys and aerial images which was a time consuming process. The AI model used in this research was taught to spot geoglyphs, in high resolution aerial photos even with few examples. By surveying vast areas of the Nazca Pampa, the AI successfully uncovered more than 1,300 potential sites resulting in 303 new relief geoglyphs being unearthed through ground verification.
Scientific Significance
The AI-assisted findings offer strong support for various cultural practices linked to each type of geoglyphs. It is suggested that relief geoglyphs were used to convey details about everyday life activities, whereas line geoglyphs played a role in communal rituals. This distinction helps us gain insight into ancient Nazca society, indicating that geoglyphs were more than just forms of art, they also served purposes within societal and ceremonial settings.
This study demonstrates how artificial intelligence can accelerate discoveries, revealing information about cultures in locations such as Nazca Pampa. These findings deepen our knowledge of geoglyphs and open new possibilities for exploring civilizations.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2407652121
Credit: pnas.org, Masato Sakai, Akihisa Sakurai, Siyuan Lu, Jorge Olano, Conrad M. Albrecht, Hendrik F. Hamann, Marcus Freitag