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Judi Lynn

(160,219 posts)
Wed Apr 13, 2016, 08:45 PM Apr 2016

Mystery of Nazca, Peru's Puquios: Purpose of Ancient Holes Finally Solved By Satellites

Mystery of Nazca, Peru's Puquios: Purpose of Ancient Holes Finally Solved By Satellites

By Anna Swartz April 13, 2016



For years, spiral-shaped holes, called puquios, that dot the dry landscape in Nazca, Peru have confused archaeologists. But now, using satellite images, a team of researchers has finally solved the mystery of the holes once and for all, reports the BBC.

The holes are actually part of a "sophisticated hydraulic system constructed to retrieve water from underground aquifers," Rosa Lasaponara of the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, in Italy, who conducted the research, told the BBC. "What is clearly evident today is that the puquio system must have been much more developed than it appears today."



Lasaponara and her team used satellite images to analyze the placement of the puquios and realized the extent to which they moved water throughout the region. There is a system of tunnels underground, connecting the puquios. Each spiral hole pulls air down into the canals, moving the water through the network and bringing it to people who would have used it for both agriculture and domestic life, Lasaponara told the BBC.

To design such a system would have meant that the ancient Nazca people who built them had extensive knowledge about the geography of the area, Lasaponara said. The irrigation tunnels may also be connected to the Nazca lines, giant geoglyphs of animals, people and shapes carved into the Nazca desert, Lasaponara told the BBC.

More:
http://mic.com/articles/140792/mystery-of-nazca-peru-s-puquios-purpose-of-ancient-holes-finally-solved-by-satellites#.TFm43nT3F

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Mystery of Nazca, Peru's Puquios: Purpose of Ancient Holes Finally Solved By Satellites (Original Post) Judi Lynn Apr 2016 OP
Brilliant! elljay Apr 2016 #1
Only change, improvement is subjective pbmus Apr 2016 #2
the diseases they brought weren't very sophisticated southmost Apr 2016 #6
That's a much better explanation than just "Aliens!" nt MrScorpio Apr 2016 #3
Proof of alien technology ! left-of-center2012 Apr 2016 #4
i wish SoLeftIAmRight Apr 2016 #5
They have a manual "To Serve Man" Bernardo de La Paz Apr 2016 #7
It's a 1monster Apr 2016 #8
again - i wish SoLeftIAmRight Apr 2016 #10
Actually I find it just as hard to believe as any other explanation that it was native lunatica Apr 2016 #12
Ancient knowledge keithbvadu2 Apr 2016 #9
Same system in the middle east Mustellus Apr 2016 #11
Just an FYI, title has been changed (see change notes at bottom for 4/14) brett_jv Apr 2016 #13
"Aqueducts" is a little more meaningful than "holes!" Thanks. n/t Judi Lynn Apr 2016 #14

elljay

(1,178 posts)
1. Brilliant!
Thu Apr 14, 2016, 01:52 PM
Apr 2016

The Nazca civilization was likely destroyed by climate change. A few centuries later the Spanish arrived with more sophisticated weaponry and greed and destroyed the civilization and religion of the successor Inca culture, replacing it with their Spanish Catholic culture/religion. I fail to see any improvement.

southmost

(759 posts)
6. the diseases they brought weren't very sophisticated
Fri Apr 15, 2016, 01:14 AM
Apr 2016

taking over a continent hit by a historic pandemic would not be too difficult. ...

lunatica

(53,410 posts)
12. Actually I find it just as hard to believe as any other explanation that it was native
Sat Apr 16, 2016, 02:54 PM
Apr 2016

The spiral holes, and the explanation only raise more questions than they try to answer.

Where did they get the knowledge of the underground aquifers and how did they figure out the engineering to make it possible to irrigate all their crops by making holes in the ground?

Whether it was alien or native earthling engineering is not what I'm arguing. It could be either at this point. I'm not convinced the mystery is solved. Not when it comes to pre-Columbian history as opposed to what the Spaniards found when they arrived.

Hell, it could just as easily be seen as post-Atlantean engineering given all the answers it doesn't give.

Mustellus

(328 posts)
11. Same system in the middle east
Fri Apr 15, 2016, 08:01 PM
Apr 2016

Where they were called quanats. Partly done to give access, partly cause they couldn't make long tunnels





brett_jv

(1,245 posts)
13. Just an FYI, title has been changed (see change notes at bottom for 4/14)
Sat Apr 16, 2016, 03:08 PM
Apr 2016

It's now "Mystery of Nazca, Peru's Puquios: Satellite Images Shed New Light on Ancient Aqueducts"

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