For over a century, archaeologists have marveled at Peru’s ancient line drawings. Now, a breakthrough using new technology is rewriting what people thought they knew about these massive works of ancient art.
A team of scientists have used artificial intelligence to nearly double the number of known geoglyphs in just six months. By using AI, the team has identified more than 300 new figures, a process that would have taken decades if done manually.
Despite their size, many of these Nazca lines went unnoticed, even after their rediscovery in the 20th century. A cat-shaped geoglyph was found on a hillside just a few years ago, but with the help of AI, this new team has built on previous findings, discovering even more.
The AI system was specifically designed to detect smaller and harder-to-find figures by cleaning and analyzing geospatial data. It then divides the landscape into grids, and identifies potential patterns.
Once the AI flags possible locations, archaeologists step in to confirm the results. Despite limited data to train the new tool, it has so far been accurate.
Out of over 1,300 potential finds, the team confirmed 303 new figurative geoglyphs and 42 geometric ones. These geoglyphs, created between 200 B.C. and A.D. 500, depict everything from animals to human figures. Larger figures represent animals like birds and killer whales, while smaller glyphs show symbols near ancient trails.
Researchers believe this AI-driven approach could revolutionize archaeology, leading to even more discoveries of ancient civilizations around the world.
