The Nazca Lines, according to World Heritage, has recently discovered geoglyphs in the Nazca Desert. This discovery was made by Yamagata University and IBM, led by Masato Sakai. The use of artificial intelligence, photogrammetry, and remote sensing has made the work much easier. María Reche has also begun the work, which has been referenced by Saruq Al Hadid, Joao Fonte (ERA Archaeology), and Alexandra Karamitrou (University of Southampton). Read on to learn more about the discovery.
Undiscovered geoglyphs in Peru’s coastal desert are revelaed
In just six months, a joint team from Yamagata University’s Institute of Nazca and IBM has two-times increased the number of known Nazca Lines, showing 303 previously unknown geoglyphs in Peru’s coastal desert. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and confirmed by lead archaeologist Prof. Masato Sakai, the discovery underlines one of the quickest expansions of archaeological knowledge ever achieved for this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
These huge imges —carved into the desert floor between 200 BC and 650 AD—picture stylized animals, plants, and geometric patterns, some stretching hundreds of meters across. Until this time, many of these intricate forms had gone with no notice due to the scale of the desert and the limitations of ancient survey approaches.
How Artificial Intelligence modified the situation
For more than a century, archaeologists have gone over the Nazca Lines through aerial photography, ground surveys, and painstaking manual mapping. This recent approach used AI algorithms trained on thousands of aerial pictures, enabling the system to detect faint lines and subtle geometric forms non visible to the human eye.
The AI quickly investigated through terabytes of high-resolution satellite and drone imagery, flagging potential geoglyphs for follow-up.
“The ability to conduct the survey in such a short period was thanks to the use of AI,” Sakai explained.
One time flagged, each site was checked by archaeologists in the field, making sure accuracy and context.
Between the recent figures are depictions of felines, birds, fish, and abstract forms—designs that may have served ceremonial, astronomical, or territorial purposes. The accuracy of these images, many of which maintain without defect symmetry spite of their scale, underscores the Nazca civilization’s superior understanding of geometry and spatial planning.
Evidence Points to Ritual Walkways and Sacred Journeys
At the same time theories about the Nazca Lines have ranged from astronomical calendars to messages for extraterrestrials, new proves supports a more grounded interpretation. Sakai’s team are certain that many of the newly found figures formed ritual pathways in ceremonial processions to join with gods and the surrounding landscape.
This aligns with previous hypotheses by Maria Reiche, the German mathematician and astronomer who spent almost decades mapping the lines and noting their geometric precision.
AI’s growing role in uncovering ancient history
The Nazca project belings to a wider trend in archaeology. AI is being deployed to track down burial mounds in Europe, map ancient settlements hidden under forests, and even pinpoint shipwrecks lying on the ocean floor. At the Saruq Al Hadid site in the United Arab Emirates, AI studied satellite data to prove patterns in artifact distribution, permitting investigators to prioritize excavation areas.
Dr. João Fonte of ERA Arqueologia calls this technological modification a “leap in efficiency,” noting that surveys that once took years can currently be completed in days. When paired with photogrammetry and remote sensing, AI provides unprecedented views into ancient landscapes, aiding researchers construct again them with remarkable precision.
Technology as a no replacement
Spite of the speed and scale of AI discoveries, archaeologists stress the requirement for human expertise. Dr. Alexandra Karamitrou from the University of Southampton, who carries out AI tools for archaeological investigation, cautions that “AI isn’t perfect, especially in archaeology.” Every AI-detected site must be confirmed in person, and false positives remain a challenge.
