essay
Order in the Nazca lines
lines of nazca • 183 • Published In 1990 • Pages: 41-113
By: Aveni, Anthony F..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
Unlike most previous researchers, the author entertains the idea that the Nazca lines may have been created at different times for different reasons. Overlapping geoglyphs are clear evidence of sequential, not simultaneous, construction. There are three classes of lines: biomorphic, geometric, and straight. Straight lines are the most common, and the focus of this study. Contour maps of line centers and their lines were made, and termination points found. The Inka [i]ceque[/i] system centered on Cuzco is presented as a close historical analogy. Conclusions about the lines include that: they were intended for people to move along; most can be associated with the flow of water across the plain; the majority do not have any astronomical orientations; they did not require much effort to create; and they were probably used in rituals related to agriculture and the bringing of water.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Recording and collecting in the field
- Archaeological survey methods
- Comparative evidence
- Visual arts
- Sacred objects and places
- Ritual
- traditionCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Nazca
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2015
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- South America
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Central Andes
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- essay
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Archaeoastronomer
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Sarah Berry; 2013
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1980-1984
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 2200-1500 BP (200 BC-AD 500)
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- "Pampa" (Nazca Lines), El Ingenio and Nazca districts, Nazca, Ica, Peru
- NotesAdditional notes
- A. F. Aveni
- For bibliographical references see document 12:Aveni (1990, References cited…)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 89084667
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Nazca culture
- Social structure--Peru--History
- Nazca Lines Site (Peru)