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Quiz about Alien Runways and Hallucinogenic Cacti
Quiz about Alien Runways and Hallucinogenic Cacti

Alien Runways and Hallucinogenic Cacti Quiz

The Nazca Lines of Peru

The Nazca Lines of Peru are one of the world's greatest ancient mysteries. Several theories have risen as to why they were built. You may be surprised what archaeologists have come up with.

A multiple-choice quiz by trident. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
trident
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
241,096
Updated
Dec 09 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
5888
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 174 (9/10), Guest 136 (9/10), Aph1976 (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Firstly, the Nazca Lines are phenomena known as 'geoglyphs', or simply, large drawings made on the ground. Among the largest measure up to 900 feet and the entire land area they occupy is nearly 200 square miles. The Nazca Lines are famous for their size, but they have another remarkable feature. What is it? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The Nazca Lines consist of several straight lines and other stylized figures. These figures reflect much of the wildlife of Peru. Which of the following is NOT a figure represented by the Nazca Lines? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The Nazca Desert in Peru has been home to these large creations since they were made from 200 BC to AD 600. The desert is covered by small pebbles containing ferrous oxide, which with exposure to several elements, has given them a dark patina. Therefore, the Nazca Lines are made by moving the dark pebbles and revealing the lighter soil underneath. Their intricate nature has survived due to a lack of rainfall and what else? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. There are many theories as to why the Nazca Lines were made. The one that gets the most attention, and is outlined in the book "Chariots of the Gods", is that the lines are so vast and complex, that they had to have been made by extraterrestial beings. Some of the geoglyphs seem to depict these "visitors", and several of the lines are trapezoidal in shape. The shape and size of these lines causes some to believe they serve which purpose? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Since water was scarce in the Nazca Desert, the Nazca Lines were thought to help them with the collection of that valuable resource. One theory claims that the geometric lines represent paths to water sources and that the animal glyphs were meant to display discovered underground water reservoirs. This theory seems plausible at first, but then a supernatural explanation arises. The lines were supposedly created through an unproven practice often used to find water known as 'dowsing', an art known by what other name? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. One commonly accepted idea is that the Nazca Lines were meant to be offerings to the Nazca gods, who would be able to see them from the heavens. The rationales behind this thinking is that during the time period of the lines' construction, a series of events occurred that caused a pupil-like feature, or "Eye of God", to be seen in the sky. What events might these be? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Another outlandish theory was offered by some local archaeologists who believed that the cultural history of the Nazca offers a clue. They suggest that the Nazca Lines may be offerings to the gods, but also have more local purposes. A certain ceremonial item the ancient Peruvian populations used had effects that caused severe hallucinations resulting in the Nazca building giant lines so they could "fly over" them to view them. What might this item be? (HINT: it's in the title) Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. One suggestion is that the lines were paths the Nazca followed during ceremonies, or they were "walking temples" in a sense. They would walk along the glyphs, praying to the gods for water. According to this theory, the lines don't point to water and aren't meant to help find water, but to guide the Nazca along as they pray for water. Why is this theory so appealing to archaeologists? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. One of the earliest theories proposed by famed archaeologist Maria Reiche was that the Nazca Lines were somehow a giant astronomical guide or calendar. The lines pointed to several astronomical bodies and could have been used to predict solstices in order to be prepared for planting and harvest time. This was accepted for a long time, but there are several arguments that weaken its plausibility. Which of the following is NOT one of those arguments? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. There is no shortage of theories about the Nazca Lines and their origins. Their purpose is still unknown, and it is unlikely we will ever truly know what they were meant for. Nonetheless, international interest in preserving the site is high priority. In 1994, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) gave the Nazca Lines what special status? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Firstly, the Nazca Lines are phenomena known as 'geoglyphs', or simply, large drawings made on the ground. Among the largest measure up to 900 feet and the entire land area they occupy is nearly 200 square miles. The Nazca Lines are famous for their size, but they have another remarkable feature. What is it?

Answer: They can only be fully seen from the air.

The Nazca Lines can only be seen in their full forms from the air and not from the ground. Because of this there is much speculation as to why they were made. Some believe that they were made by intelligent aliens as, they claim, humanity wasn't advanced enough. However, Great Pyramids pre-date the Nazca Lines by nearly 2000 years.
2. The Nazca Lines consist of several straight lines and other stylized figures. These figures reflect much of the wildlife of Peru. Which of the following is NOT a figure represented by the Nazca Lines?

Answer: zebra

Among the animals and other figures that can be seen in the Nazca Lines are: a spider, a monkey, a lizard, several birds, a tree, a flower, and even a human figure. The purpose and meaning of many of the figures is highly debated. The figure of a man is said to resemble an astronaut, leading many to believe that the Nazca weren't responsible for drawing them.
3. The Nazca Desert in Peru has been home to these large creations since they were made from 200 BC to AD 600. The desert is covered by small pebbles containing ferrous oxide, which with exposure to several elements, has given them a dark patina. Therefore, the Nazca Lines are made by moving the dark pebbles and revealing the lighter soil underneath. Their intricate nature has survived due to a lack of rainfall and what else?

Answer: lack of wind to blow the pebbles

The lines have lasted over two thousand years, an unlikely age for other geoglyphs. The Nazca Desert is especially conducive to such longevity. It gets an average of only twenty minutes of rainfall a year; it is flat, contains little dust or sand, and there is very little wind.
4. There are many theories as to why the Nazca Lines were made. The one that gets the most attention, and is outlined in the book "Chariots of the Gods", is that the lines are so vast and complex, that they had to have been made by extraterrestial beings. Some of the geoglyphs seem to depict these "visitors", and several of the lines are trapezoidal in shape. The shape and size of these lines causes some to believe they serve which purpose?

Answer: runways for spaceships

Erich von Däniken claims in his book "Chariots of the Gods" that these trapezoidal shaped lines are actually runways for alien spaceships to land on earth. He argues the lines are too complex for the Nazca civilization to have built. In his book, he also states that the pyramids, Stonehenge, and the Easter Island statues were constructed by aliens.
5. Since water was scarce in the Nazca Desert, the Nazca Lines were thought to help them with the collection of that valuable resource. One theory claims that the geometric lines represent paths to water sources and that the animal glyphs were meant to display discovered underground water reservoirs. This theory seems plausible at first, but then a supernatural explanation arises. The lines were supposedly created through an unproven practice often used to find water known as 'dowsing', an art known by what other name?

Answer: divining

David Johnson and Steve Mabee introduced this idea to the archaeological community but met with much skepticism. The importance of water in the region is not debated, but the fact that dowsing was used to find water sources has led many to reject this theory. There is no scientific basis for water divining.
6. One commonly accepted idea is that the Nazca Lines were meant to be offerings to the Nazca gods, who would be able to see them from the heavens. The rationales behind this thinking is that during the time period of the lines' construction, a series of events occurred that caused a pupil-like feature, or "Eye of God", to be seen in the sky. What events might these be?

Answer: solar eclipses

The "Eye of God" theory, provided by ecliptologist Robin Edgar, is based upon a series of solar eclipses that took place during the time when the Nazca Lines were in the process of being built. He theorizes that the Nazca saw the solar eclipses (which look very much like the pupil of an eye) and interpreted them to be the eyes of their gods.

They then built the lines to appease the gods and give them offerings.
7. Another outlandish theory was offered by some local archaeologists who believed that the cultural history of the Nazca offers a clue. They suggest that the Nazca Lines may be offerings to the gods, but also have more local purposes. A certain ceremonial item the ancient Peruvian populations used had effects that caused severe hallucinations resulting in the Nazca building giant lines so they could "fly over" them to view them. What might this item be? (HINT: it's in the title)

Answer: San Pedro cactus

This theory is actually not widely known and was completely disregarded by almost every archaeologist who had heard of it. The San Pedro cactus does have hallucinogenic properties and the Nazca were known to use it in ceremonies and include it in their art, but the idea that it led to the Nazca lines is seen as preposterous.
8. One suggestion is that the lines were paths the Nazca followed during ceremonies, or they were "walking temples" in a sense. They would walk along the glyphs, praying to the gods for water. According to this theory, the lines don't point to water and aren't meant to help find water, but to guide the Nazca along as they pray for water. Why is this theory so appealing to archaeologists?

Answer: All of these

This idea is seen as possible by many scholars, mainly because it doesn't venture into the unknown and is valued for its simplicity. An experiment conducted in the Nazca desert showed a small group could construct a great portion of a glyph in a single day. The Nazca had an estimated eight hundred years to achieve this.
9. One of the earliest theories proposed by famed archaeologist Maria Reiche was that the Nazca Lines were somehow a giant astronomical guide or calendar. The lines pointed to several astronomical bodies and could have been used to predict solstices in order to be prepared for planting and harvest time. This was accepted for a long time, but there are several arguments that weaken its plausibility. Which of the following is NOT one of those arguments?

Answer: The Nazca were a maritime culture and didn't eat agricultural produce

This theory still has many supporters, especially since Maria Reiche was so respected in her field. The ideas cannot be scientifically proven, and as of yet disproven, leaving theories such as these to wander around in the archaeological community.

The Nazca were not a maritime culture, but relied on agriculture to feed themselves. Even most maritime cultures supplement their food supplies with agriculture.
10. There is no shortage of theories about the Nazca Lines and their origins. Their purpose is still unknown, and it is unlikely we will ever truly know what they were meant for. Nonetheless, international interest in preserving the site is high priority. In 1994, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) gave the Nazca Lines what special status?

Answer: World Heritage Site

I hope you didn't choose any of the other three, but if you did, don't feel too bad. World Heritage sites are well-known in the archaeological community, but not typically outside of it. World Heritage sites are the property of the host country, but receive international support and aid to help preserve them.
Source: Author trident

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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