Nazca plateau in Peru is not the only place with geoglyphs. Around 15 to 20 miles north of the city of Nazca there is a huge number of practically unexplored geoglyphs, situated on the plateau called Palpa Pampa. Although Palpa geoglyphs were known to locals it was only in the 1990s that they attracted the interest of scientists, thanks to the Swiss researcher enigmas of the past Erich von Däniken.
Similar to Nazca, the Palpa plateau has mysterious stripes and lines, but also mind-blowing geoglyphs. However, the Palpa complex differs significantly from the Nazca complex.
Palpa Vs Nazca
First of all, the unusual relief of the Palpa plateau is striking – a set of low hills on the flat tops of which cut like a giant knife, and stretch man-made lines and stripes. The width of some of the stripes reaches several hundred meters. Lines and stripes intersect and overlap one another, reflecting the different time periods of application images.
Unlike the Nazca plateau, where there is only a biomorph called “the astronaut,” a human figure with a bulbous head like a man in a spacesuit., in Palpa there are about ten anthropomorphic geoglyphs, made with varying degrees of skill and having different sizes.
Note: Swiss author Erich von Däniken was convinced some of the biomorphs depict aliens themselves, an idea he popularized in his 1968 book Chariots of the Gods.Among the best-known the Palpa figures, there are the 8 human figures called “the Royal Family” that stand out on a low rise. Image in the Public domain
In addition, there are a few images of animals, birds, similar to the condor, a whale (orca) and various mammals. One of the most interesting geoglyphs found at Palpa is the ‘Star’ or Ancient Mandala. Interestingly, this ‘alien’ shape is depicted in an extremely remote area sitting atop an arid mountain plateau, causing confusion among those who have been able to observe it directly.
The Mandala is considered a ritual symbol in Indian religions and represents the universe. Today, the mandala has become a generic term used to describe any diagram, chart or geometrical pattern that represents the cosmos. The M andala also symbolizes the notion that life is, in fact, a never-ending cycle. But what is it doing in Peru? Who created it… and for what purpose?
Giant Ancient Palpa Geoglyphs Are 1000 Years Older Than Nazca Lines
The figures etched into the landscape near modern-day Palpa differ from their neighbors at Nasca in several regards. As well as appearing to be earlier, there is also a focus on smaller images, such as this killer whale or ballena asesina on the side of a mesa, rather than far larger geometric compositions. Image credit: The Past
Buddhist monks still make these elaborate and fascinating geometric shapes nowadays, with colored powders to depict the cosmos and the cycle of life that is perpetually renewed, but it is very strange to find one thousand kilometers away from Tibet, engraved in a remote area of Peru, on a plateau surrounded by nothing. Strange and inexplicable even for historians and archaeologists.
The Mandala at Palpa seems to have been carved with extreme precision and detail, created on the ground measuring around 180 feet across, with an inner circle of the same diameter. In addition, several other smaller circles, approximately 20 feet in diameter are etched in the landscape along with a series of strategically placed holes.
The Palpa Mandala looks like a series of concentric circles inscribed within squares, with two rectangles overlapped in the center forming a cross. The figure has been drawn with great precision and is rich in detail, despite being very large. The diameter of the largest circumference is 180 feet – about 54 meters. palpa figures
One of the most incredible geoglyphs at Palpa is the one known as “The Star”, which clearly resembles a Mandala, the Hindu symbol that represents the universe. Image in public domain
In addition, circles and squares are dotted with holes and pits dug into the ground whose purpose is unknown. The archaeologist Gilbert de Jong, convinced that this and the other Peruvian drawings represent a map of the zodiac, argues that the unit of measurement used for the making of the Mandala was the Sumerian foot.
Another, no less mysterious figure – Sundial. There is an assumption that the image was used to observe the sun. Center compositions are made as a double helix or labyrinth. Next to the clock is a complex of lines and stripes, which, as it seems, at first sight, in disarray cross each other.
Purpose of these lines
While their true purpose is unknown, researchers speculate that ancient mankind created these intricate geometric shapes and humanoid figures as worship to the ancient gods who were believed to control natural forces such as earthquakes, droughts, and floods.
Nazca lines palpa lines
This virtual rendering of the landscape shows Palpa figures clustering on a hill slope, where they would have been visible to terrestrial viewers. Such a setting seems to have been popular with those creating this imagery. Image credit: The Past
Ancient Palpa Geoglyphs
These two examples of Palpa figures discovered during the drone survey done by experts from the German Archaeological Institute show a clear difference from the Nasca lines and a focus on human heads. Image credit: The Past
palpa lines
Here, a human and a bear stand side by side at the Sacramento mountains, in Palpa.. Image credit: The Past
Researchers believe that the Palpa Lines were created by the ancient Paracas people (that existed between approximately 800 BCE and 100 BCE) 1000 prior to the Nazca. The ancient Paracas people are well known because of their elongated heads, a characteristic which has led to a fiery debate among researchers as there are numerous anomalies connected to the elongated ‘Paracas skulls‘. The Paracas people inhabited the region of Palpa and Nazca, at least, a thousand years before the Nazca people.
In fact, many of the so-called “runways” are in the Palpa area, not Nazca. These mysterious lines located on mountaintops are some of the most enigmatic features at Palpa.
Leave a Reply