Possible Geoglyphs Spotted in Peru

[Judi Lynn]

Possible Geoglyphs Spotted in Peru
A huge network of earthworks, or geoglyphs, is visible in satellite imagery of a large area around Titicaca Lake, a researcher claims.
By Rossella Lorenzi
Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:02 AM ET

http://news.discovery.com.nyud.net:8090/archaeology/2010/10/14/bird278x225.jpg

_{Was this a planned symbol? Yes, says scientist
Amelia Carolina Sparavigna. Click on the image,
see the photos, judge for yourself.
Amelia Carolina Sparavigna}

An Italian researcher may have discovered a huge network of earthworks representing birds, snakes and other animals in Peru, according to a study published on the Cornell University physics website arXiv.

Amelia Carolina Sparavigna, assistant professor at the department of physics of Turin's Polytechnic University, used Google satellite maps and AstroFracTool, an astronomical image-processing program which she developed, to investigate over 463 square miles of land around Peru's Titicaca Lake .

She says she has identified shapes that were built by Andean communities centuries ago.

"This region is covered by terraced walls and raised fields, which are large elevated planting platforms with canals in between. The earthworks represent an almost unimaginable agricultural effort to improve soil, temperature and moisture conditions for the crops," Sparavigna told Discovery News.

More, including slideshow:
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/geoglyph-peru-andean.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1