AI uncovers 2,000-year-old Nazca drawings in Peruvian desert
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has played a pivotal role in the discovery of hundreds of ancient drawings, known as geoglyphs, in the Peruvian desert. These illustrations, believed to be created by the Nazca culture around 2,000 years ago, depict decapitated human heads and domesticated llamas. The newly found geoglyphs are smaller and older than previously discovered ones, typically portraying humanoid figures and domesticated animals about nine meters long.
AI model trained to identify geoglyphs in aerial photos
The research team, led by Masato Sakai of Yamagata University in Japan, used an AI model specifically trained to identify these smaller geoglyphs in aerial photographs. The images covered an area about 10 times as large as Manhattan, encompassing the desert plateau known as the Nazca Pampa and its surroundings. This region is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for the Nazca lines.
AI model expedited the screening process
The AI model significantly expedited the screening process by eliminating 98% of low-probability aerial imagery and providing probabilities for the remaining 2%. This allowed researchers to focus their efforts on manually inspecting high-probability photos and conducting field inspections at potential sites. Despite this technological assistance, over 2,600 hours were still spent on manual inspection and fieldwork.
AI model led to discovery of 303 figurative geoglyphs
The AI model's suggestions led researchers to discover a total of 303 figurative geoglyphs during field surveys in 2022 and 2023. Out of these figures, the AI individually identified 178 geoglyphs. An additional 66 were not directly pinpointed by the AI, but were found within a group of geoglyphs that the technology had highlighted.
AI technology offers hope for future geoglyph discoveries
Nearly 1,000 AI-identified candidates are still awaiting inspection in future field surveys. The smaller geoglyphs, typically found on hillsides near winding trails, were likely used in individual or small group rituals. This contrasts with the larger line geoglyphs that were probably central to community-wide ceremonies. The use of AI also holds promise for discovering more geoglyphs beyond the Nazca lines World Heritage Site.