Secrets of the Nazca

**Secrets of the Nazca** is the 10th episode of Season 1 of Expedition Unknown.

## Plot Synopsis

Gates flies to Peru to investigate the giant geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines that were drawn into the desert by the ancient Nazca tribe. By studying newly found lines recently discovered on a mountain made by the Paracas people and joining a Nazca psychedelic ritual, he uncovers the supposed meaning behind the tracings.

## Historical Context

"When you think of Peru what comes to mind...if you head a bit further south, you'll find yourself in one of the driest and most desolate environments on Earth. 2,000 years ago, a mysterious civilization thrived here. Little was known about them until the 1920s when commercial flights spotted their giants glyphs. Symbols inscribed in the sand that became known as the Nazca Lines. They depict huge animals, strange figures, and complex geometric shapes. For nearly a century, people have been fiercely debating the Nazca Lines. But several months ago, a sandstorm in the desert revealed something incredible. Never-before-seen symbols that may be key to solving the entire puzzle. Scientists have also uncovered clues that may reveal how the lines were made with such mathematical precision. And more importantly, why."

- Josh Gates

## Summary

Josh begins his journey in Lima, Peru and travels to Huacachina where he tries sandboarding and continues on to Nazca where he goes up an old tower to get a look at the lines. He goes to Museo Antonini and learns about the different theories behind the Nazca Lines and then goes to the Museo Maria Reiche and meets with the director Ana Maria Cogorno. Maria Reiche was a mathematician who believed the lines were used for astronomical purposes.

From there, Josh goes to a planetarium to meet Edgardo Azabache who shows Josh how some lines align to celestial bodies. Josh goes to the desert and tries to recreate the Spider Nazca Line but it doesn't work well. Afterwards, he meets with Mario Olachea, the head archaeologist of the Ministry of Nazca, and his researcher Alejandro. They discover that the Nazca could've used a foreman on a small hill, telling workers where to draw the lines and then they would've placed wooden stakes and used string to make straight lines between. They would then use wide paddles to connect them. They test this and it turns out accurate.

Josh visits the Cahuachi Temple and meets historian, David Rivas. They meet a shaman and take part in a ceremony that uses some hallucinogens to get in touch with the spiritual world, meaning the lines could play a religious purpose. Josh goes to meet historian, Antonio San Cristobal. They go up in an aeroplane to see the new lines which Antonio explains were made by the Paracas people, who came before the Nazca. Once back on the ground Josh goes to the city of Paracas and to the Paracas History Museum.

At the museum, Josh learns that the Nazca invaded the Paracas people and absorbed their culture. Josh meets with Rolando Aybar, an archaeologist, and they go on a boat ride to see the oldest Paracas lines. They see a glyph called the "candelabra" which is actually a cactus. The cactus points in the same direction as the hummingbird, possibly towards water. Josh meets with Brien Foerster, the director of the Paracas Museum. Brien believes that some of the lines are for solar/lunar alignment, some as ceremonial pathways, and some as ways to track underground water systems.

They find some depressions in the sand nearby and dig only to find wet sand, meaning there are underground water sources near the lines. Some of the new Nazca symbols also resemble ojos, a manhole into an underground aqueduct system.

## Final Words

"In time, the Nazca culture was absorbed by other tribes, just as they absorbed the Paracas. Their legacy is beneath our feet. There are still thousands of structures trapped in the dunes. And there's no doubt that more symbols are destined for discovery. The Nazca were masters of conservation in a punishing world. We now know that their lines were a complex system for survival. But with so much of their culture still unexplored, who knows what new mysteries will emerge from beneath the sands."

- Josh Gates

## Notes & Trivia

* Brien Foerster was also featured in Atlantis of the Andes.

## Quotes

* Everybody in Peru honks all the time. They honk when they're happy, they honk when they'd like to get by you, they honk when they're angry. Just anytime you want."
* "I'm not sure I'm buying that is just a giant desert airport for E.T and his buddies."
* "Kinda looking like a spider. Or a menorah."
* "The term "new" is being thrown around pretty loosely here."
* "It's like Disneyland has gone to hell."
* "Seasons Greetings! From the African Jungles of Peru"
* "This is the worlds firsst horse with four wheel drive."

## Gallery

Photos shown in the slideshow are from Travel Channel's Secrets of the Nazca slideshow. If you hover over the images, their exact image address will appear. NOTE: Some of these photos include skulls and skeletons so please refrain from viewing if you aren't comfortable.

* Josh and Mario look out over the desertGo to https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullset/2015/03/6/expedition-unknown-110-nazca-peru-ss/expedition-unknown-josh-gates-nazca-peru-001.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491580745432.jpeg
* Cahuachi TempleGo to https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullset/2015/03/6/expedition-unknown-110-nazca-peru-ss/expedition-unknown-josh-gates-nazca-peru-002.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491580745454.jpeg
* Skulls at the Paracas History MuseumGo to https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullset/2015/03/6/expedition-unknown-110-nazca-peru-ss/expedition-unknown-josh-gates-nazca-peru-003.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491580745464.jpeg
* Chauchilla Cemetery in the desertGo to https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullset/2015/03/6/expedition-unknown-110-nazca-peru-ss/expedition-unknown-josh-gates-nazca-peru-006.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491580745493.jpeg
* OjosGo to https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullset/2015/03/6/expedition-unknown-110-nazca-peru-ss/expedition-unknown-josh-gates-nazca-peru-007.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491580745505.jpeg
* Artefacts at the Paracas History MuseumGo to https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullset/2015/03/6/expedition-unknown-110-nazca-peru-ss/expedition-unknown-josh-gates-nazca-peru-004.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491580745470.jpeg
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## References

1. ↑ https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullset/2015/03/6/expedition-unknown-110-nazca-peru-ss/expedition-unknown-josh-gates-nazca-peru-005.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491580745479.jpeg