ARCHITECTURE OF THE NAZCA CULTURE: MAIN CHARACTERISTICS - HISTORY - 2025

The architecture of the Nazca culture is characterized mainly by the construction of large urban and ceremonial centers, and by the peculiar engravings on the ground.

This culture developed in the coastal areas of southern Peru, especially between 100 BC and 800 AD; although much older and later archaeological remains have been found in the region.

In this culture the engravings on the ground stand out. They created them by removing deposits of manganese and iron oxide that covered the stony surface of the desert, exposing the lighter soil underneath, and placing the cleared stones along the edges.

These drawings are only visible from the air. Its motifs are animals, as well as straight lines and geometric shapes.

Characteristics of urban centers

According to archaeological evidence, there was a substantial difference between the concept of a ceremonial center and that of a city or dwelling nucleus, both in terms of the construction model used and in the choice of where to erect the buildings.

Homes in linear form

The natural formations that extended to the river valleys favored the construction of houses. Thus, the villages arose in a linear fashion and parallel to the central lines.

Delimitation through walls

The residential spaces were arranged on leveled embankments and delimited by retaining walls.

These were covered by roofs, supported by huarango posts (a desert plant species) and acacia walls used as a barrier.

Cahuachi: example of Nazca architecture

The history of the architecture of the Nazca culture is characterized by substantial changes in the use of materials, construction techniques and organization of space. And Cahuachi, the most important sacred site of the Nazca civilization, was no exception.

This site was used for harvest festivals, ancestor worship, and burials. It is made up of a series of huge ceremonial mounds and plazas.

Location

Cahuachi was built on the southern bank of the Nazca River, in the stretch where it runs underground.

The water table here would have survived most of the droughts. For that reason it was considered a sacred place.

The water was managed through underground aqueducts and cisterns with terraced entrances, to irrigate the surroundings and ensure a constant supply.

Architectural features

The initial phase is distinguished by the use of quincha walls. The quincha is a traditional construction system in South America.

It is a framework made with cane or bamboo, which is then covered with a mixture of mud and straw.

In the later phases, adobe elements were used to build the walls. These were originally conical in shape, later they resembled bread.

The final phase was characterized by the substantial presence of an artificial fill, and by the reuse of old adobe walls and elements.

Additionally, the use of public spaces varied, as well as the most exclusive spaces located on the stepped terraces that shape the pyramidal constructions.

The use of separate rooms was maintained over time and intensified during the fourth phase of Cahuachi. These were supported by columns on the outer perimeter of the temples.

These temples were interspersed with large public areas, such as squares, ceremonial precincts, and corridors.

Main structures

Two structures stand out in this ceremonial center. The first is the Great Temple, whose dimensions exceed 150 x 100 meters at the base, and 20 meters in height. This is in the center of the southern part of the site.

The second structure, the "Great Pyramid", is located next to the Great Temple.

References

1. Ross, LD (2009). Art and Architecture of the World's Religions. California: ABC-CLIO.
2. Ching, F.; Jarzombek, MM and Prakash, V. (2011). A Global History of Architecture. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
3. Orefici, G. (2017). The function and distribution of space in the urban and religious centers of the Río Nasca Valley. In R. Lasaponara, N. Masini, and G. Orefici (editors), The Ancient Nasca World: New Insights from Science and Archeology, pp. 181-196. Cham: Springer.
4. Bachir Bacha, A. and LLanos Jacinto, O. (2006). The Great Temple of the Cahuachi Ceremonial Center (Nazca, Peru). In Anthropological Dimension, year 13, Vol. 38, pp.49-86.
5. Orefici, G. (2017). Cahuachi architecture. In R. Lasaponara, N. Masini, and G. Orefici (editors), The Ancient Nasca World: New Insights from Science and Archeology, pp. 343-362. Cham: Springer.
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