Chinese (Simplified) 
Chinese (Traditional) 
English 
French 
Alemão 
Italian 
Japanese 
Norwegian 
Spanish 
4 min read
8 comments
Technology accelerates discoveries and redefines archaeological methods by efficiently crossing data and revealing hidden figures in the Peruvian desert, the famous Nazca Lines
For over a hundred years, the mysterious Nazca Lines, in Peru, intrigued archaeologists from all over the world. Created between 200 BC e 650 AD by the Nazca people, these huge figures drawn on the desert floor show animals, plants and various objects.
They can only be seen from above and have aroused the curiosity of scientists and visitors for decades. Now, with the help of artificial intelligence, a new chapter begins to be written in this ancient story.
Technology accelerates discoveries in the Nazca Lines
In just six months, a collaboration between archaeologists and computer scientists has revealed 303 new geoglyphs, doubling the number of figures already known.
-
Meet the B61-13: a new US nuclear bomb equipped with a 360-kilogram warhead and ready for strategic bombers
-
The doomsday machine? The 27km ring that recreates the Big Bang and costs billions to hunt invisible particles
-
Discovery shows Ice Age humans created elaborate fireplaces using wood as the main fuel
-
Good news and bad news: the bad news is that Earth's oxygen will run out; the good news is that we won't be around to see it.
Buy
The discovery was announced on the website ScienceFocus and represents one of the greatest advances in the study of this archaeological site. Professor Masato Sakai, from the Nazca Institute at Yamagata University, leads the team that conducted the project in partnership with experts from IBM.
Sakai explains that the speed with which the work was carried out was only possible with the use of AI. Previously, it would have taken years to carry out surveys similar.
Artificial intelligence analyzed large volumes of aerial images and identified patterns invisible to the human eye. This process allowed the location of geoglyphs hidden in the desert that had previously gone unnoticed.
AI transforms archaeology
Artificial intelligence is not only accelerating research, it is also changing how archaeology is done.
The work at Nazca is a pioneering example of the successful use of AI in this field. The drawings, created by removing the topsoil, reveal the Nazca people’s advanced knowledge of geometry and symmetry. Now, AI is being added to traditional methods such as photography and manual mapping, offering new possibilities.
According to archaeologist João Fonte, from ERA Arqueologia, the field is at the “forefront of innovation” with the use of digital technologies.
Tools such as photogrammetry and remote sensing are also being incorporated into research. These innovations make work on large archaeological sites faster and more accurate.
Understanding Geoglyphs More Broadly
The discovery of new geoglyphs also opens up space for new interpretations about the function of these figures in the past.
Sakai's team believes that many of the drawings discovered are linked to ritual trails, which served to connect people to the landscape and to deities. This reinforces the hypothesis that the lines had a spiritual role, as well as an artistic and symbolic one.
AI allows us to map these connections in more depth, revealing how the Nazca related to the territory.
Analysis of the figures and their positions can offer new clues about astronomical knowledge and the mastery of space by ancient peoples. The use of algorithms to detect previously invisible drawings expands this understanding.
Other uses of technology around the world
The success of artificial intelligence in Nazca has inspired its application at other archaeological sites. From tombs to sunken ships, digital tools are gaining ground.
In 2023, researchers in the United Arab Emirates used AI to study Saruq Al Hadid, a copper smelting center that existed between 1270 and 800 B.C. The technology helped better understand the distribution of artifacts and guide excavations.
For Dr Alexandra Karamitrou from the University of Southampton, AI can identify relationships between objects and the environment, such as distance to water sources or location on sloping terrain. This allows for more complete and informed analyses.
Limits and precautions in the use of AI
Despite its advantages, artificial intelligence is not yet perfect. Each drawing suggested by AI had to be manually checked by researchers. This shows that the technology still relies on human review. According to Karamitrou, the systems are still under development, but they are already helping to save time, effort and resources.
As technology evolves, AI is expected to become more accurate. Automated detection can expand the scope of research, making it possible to explore larger areas at lower costs. This efficiency promises to revolutionize the field of archaeology and help reveal new mysteries of humanity.
The discovery of 303 new geoglyphs with the help of artificial intelligence marks a watershed in modern archaeology.
The work of the international team reinforces the value of collaboration between science and technology.
Combining aerial imagery, AI and archaeological knowledge reveals a promising path for preserving and understanding ancient civilizations.
With each new figure discovered in the Nazca desert, more details of the history of the people who lived there come to life. The expectation now is that other regions of the world will experience similar revolutions, with technology opening new windows into the past.
There is a lot to discover and learn about peoples of the past… I believe they were much more evolved than we imagine…
What a well-written text! It informs and arouses curiosity! We have a lot to learn from ancient peoples.
Our civilization is the scrapings of the pan compared to past civilizations
Fair enough, the system has invested a lot in evolving things and regressing people... and they are managing to register more and more, now humans are robotized, the planet as a whole moves in the same way most of the time, hand slightly raised, holding a pleasurable hook (cell phone) from which it cannot free itself. It doesn't even look where it is going, let alone what it is doing. Regrettable, I always correct myself when I notice the lack of control.