Archaeologists working in the hills of Peru's southern coastal desert have discovered a group of giant figures scraped into the earth.
    The site covers an area of around 90 square miles close to the city of Palpa, approximately 220 miles south-east of Lima. Around 50 figures, which were made by clearing darker rocks from the desert surface to expose the lighter soil underneath, have been identified, including human figures and animals such as birds, monkeys and cats. They are believed to have been created between 600 and 100 BCE by members of the Paracas culture.
    Johny Islas, director of the Andean Institute of Archaeological Studies, said "One prominent figure appears to represent a deity commonly depicted on textiles and ceramics from the period."
    These new lines pre-date Peru's world-famous Nazca lines which cover a 35 mile stretch of desert around 250 miles south of Lima. The Nazca culture flourished between 50 BCE and 600 CE.

Source: Sun Sentinel (28 February 2005)