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The Hands

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description The Hands Overview

"The Hands" is an anthropomorphic geoglyph located within the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. While the broader Nazca Lines complex is most famous for its massive geometric shapes and stylized animal and plant figures, this specific design depicts distinctly human forms and appendages. Created by removing the dark surface stones to reveal the lighter earth beneath, the figure belongs to a tradition of desert markings constructed by the ancient Nazca culture. It remains a subject of study for archaeologists investigating the geoglyphs' ceremonial and astronomical functions.

help The Hands FAQ

What is The Hands geoglyph in the Nazca Lines?

The Hands is one of the anthropomorphic geoglyphs within the Nazca Lines complex on the Pampas de Jumana in southern Peru. It depicts human-like hands or limbs and is notable as one of the relatively few human-form figures in a complex better known for its animal and geometric designs.

How were the Nazca Lines geoglyphs like The Hands created?

The geoglyphs were created by removing the dark iron-oxide-coated surface stones to reveal the lighter, almost white sand beneath, creating lines and figures visible from above. This technique, used by the Nazca culture between roughly 100 BCE and 800 CE, has preserved the designs in the extremely arid Peruvian desert for over a thousand years.

What is the best way to see The Hands and other Nazca geoglyphs?

The most common way to view the Nazca Lines, including The Hands, is by taking a small aircraft scenic flight from the town of Nazca in the Ica region of Peru. There is also a viewing tower along the Pan-American Highway that offers partial views of some geoglyphs from the ground.

Are the Nazca Lines including The Hands a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes, the Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The designation covers the entire complex of geoglyphs, which includes animal figures, geometric lines, and human-form designs like The Hands.

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