Japan University Finds 143 Nazca Geoglyphs

Yamagata, Nov. 18 (Jiji Press)--Yamagata University has announced the discovery of 143 geoglyphs on the Nazca Pampa and surrounding areas in Peru, including one found in a study using artificial intelligence technology.

The university's team led by Prof. Masato Sakai found 142 geoglyphs, including those depicting humans, snakes and birds, through analysis of high-resolution images of the areas and fieldwork there between 2016 and 2018.

The research was based on a hypothesis that many geoglyphs were created along small paths in the western region of the Nazca Pampa, according to the university's announcement Friday.

The team conducted the AI-based study with cooperation from IBM Japan Ltd. between 2018 and 2019. The world's first such study analyzed aerial photographs using deep-learning techniques to look for what are likely to be geoglyphs.

Based on the analysis results, the team started fieldwork and discovered a geoglyph depicting a human carrying a cane.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]