The arid desert of southern Peru is a land so harsh that it can go for decades without a drop of rain. It’s here that one of mankind’s greatest unsolved mysteries exists. The Nasca Lines comprise at least 15,000 ‘geoglyphs’ etched into the desert sands. Human and animal figures, geometric shapes and radial lines crisscross hundreds of square miles of desert like no place on earth.
Who built them and what was their purpose? Some popular theories claim the lines were ancient racetracks, landing strips for aliens, or even a giant astronomical calendar.
Now, after decades of misunderstanding, modern archaeology may finally have answers to the mystery of the Nasca Lines. An international team led by archaeologists Markus Reindel and Johny Isla is engaged in an unprecedented effort to build a comprehensive three-dimensional digital model of the lines. They hope to reveal new insights about the construction, chronology and meaning of the lines.
Excavations in the surrounding mountains are uncovering extraordinary clues about the people who made them and why. A long since vanished people, called the Nasca, flourished here between 200BC and 700AD. But the harsh environment led them to take extreme measures in order to survive.
Archaeologist and National Geographic grantee Christina Conlee recently made an extraordinary find: the skeleton of a young male, ceremonially buried but showing gruesome evidence of decapitation. In place of the missing human head, a ceramic “head jar” decorated with a striking image of a decapitated head with a tree sprouting from its skull.
Conlee wondered who this person was? Why he was beheaded and buried with honor. Was he a captive taken in battle, or could he have been a willing sacrifice? Did his decapitation have anything to do with the lines? The discovery of large caches of human heads adds grisly weight to Conlee’s theory.
This one hour National Geographic Special is a story of an unforgiving climate, droughts, clan warfare, and severed human heads. [7] The Nasca Lines Decoded unlocks one of mankind’s greatest secrets.
Credits
Produced, Directed & Written by
PHILIP J. DAY
Producer
JUNE MOLGAARD
Writer
AARON EVEN
Editor
AARON MCADAMS
Director of Photography
WESLEY DORMAN
Original Music
BRUCE HANIFAN
GRANT BUCKERFIELD
Narrator
CRAIG SECHLER
Visual Effects
CALDER GREENWOOD
Additional Cinematography
PHILIP J. DAY
ED GEORGE
JUNE MOLGAARD
Producer
DAVID WINTER
Production Coordinator
KATIE GREENFIELD
Production Consultant
BILL MARTENS
Field Producer
BIBIANA MELZI
Production Assistants
KAYA DAY
CELESTE PAZ ADAUTO
Sound Recordist
HENRY GIRON MURGA “BEBETO”
Gaffer & Key Grip
RAFAEL MAC KAY FULLE
Gaffer
ANDRES PAUL MAGALLANES MAGALLANES
Grip
CARLO MARIO GALLOSO
Assistant Director
JUDITH VELEZ AGUIRRE
Art Director
GUILLERMO ISA NAKANDAKARI
Costume Designer
ORANA VELARDE
Stunt Coordinator
ANA MARBE MARTICORENA ROBLES
Online Editor & Engineer
DANA STROM
Colorist
MATT LEAR
Sound Design
JEREMY SOHL
Title Animation
PIXELDUST STUDIOS
Post Production Services
WEST POST DIGITAL
EDGE WEST PRODUCTIONS
Researcher
PAULINA A. VACA
Director, Research
TODD HERMANN
Specialist, Production Rights and Clearances
KATIE LEE
Manager, Production Rights and Clearances
MARLENE WALKER-GOLDEN
Post Production Supervisor
SUSAN LACH
Post Production Coordinator
MEGAN NEMEH
Specialist, Facilities & Scheduling
MARCIE CALLAHAN
Director, Post Production Operations
BRADEN MCILVAINE
For National Geographic Television
Director, Art and Animation
RICARDO ANDRADE
Director, Production Rights and Clearances
CATHERINE YELLOZ
Director, Production Operations
ROSEANNE LOPOPOLO
Vice President, Operations
MICHAEL CASTRO
Senior Producer
LINDA GOLDMAN
Senior Vice President, Specials
STEPHEN REVERAND
Senior Vice President, Standards and Practices
SCOTT WYERMAN
Vice President, Specials and Events Development
MALVINA MARTIN
Executive Vice President, Development
MARYANNE CULPEPPER
President, NGT
MICHAEL ROSENFELD
Special Thanks
COMUNIDAD LAS CANAS
DONALD PROULX
INSTITUTO NACIONAL de CULTURA, PERU
HELAINE SILVERMAN
JOHN SEIBOLD GRAND CANYON VALLE AIRPORT 40G
JOSUE SAUL LANCHO ROJAS
JULIO CESAR CORTEZ SERVELEON
KARL WIMMER
KATHARINA SCHREIBER*
MELISSA QUEVEDO
MINISTERIO de RELACIONES EXTERIORES, PERU
PROCESADORA SANTA ANA S.A.C.
Stock Footage
GEOEYE
INSTITUTE OF GEODESY AND PHOTOGRAMMETRY, ETH ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
For National Geographic Channel
Executive Producer
MICHAEL WELSH
Senior Vice President, Production & Development
JULIET BLAKE
Production Manager
VESPER OSBORNE
Unit Manager
SHEILA NAIR
Production Assistant
MARION ASHLEY SAID
Executive in Charge of Production
STEVE BURNS
Produced by
Edge West Productions
for
National Geographic Television for National Geographic Channel
(c) 2009 NGHT, INC.
All Rights Reserved
