The Peruvian desert's mighty, mysterious Nazca Lines

[Iberia Airlines]

In the middle of Peru's parched, dusty Nazca Desert, you'll find one of the world's most fascinating archaeological enigmas: the Nazca Lines. These are ancient geoglyphs located on the Pampas de Jumana between the towns of Nazca and Palpa, a 5½-hour drive south (or one-hour flight) from capital Lima.

Looking like some adventure film set, this bleak setting showcases gargantuan shapes painstakingly fashioned between 500 BC and 500 AD by the mysterious civilisation which once inhabited this place. There are many different theories about this enormous, enticing enigma. The American Archaeological Association, for example, offers up various interpretations and new discoveries that shed some light on these lines in the desert. But it turns out there are more questions than answers.

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