Nazca

South of Nazca in Peru, thousands of skeletons and mummies, many still possessing the remains of hair and skin, have been preserved in desert burial grounds which date from around 800 AD. Remnants of Nazca civilisation pottery and textiles have also been found with the bodies.

Town to the south of Lima, Peru, near a plateau that has geometric linear markings interspersed with giant outlines of birds and animals; population (2005) 22,100. The markings were made by American Indians, whose culture dates from the period 200 BC to AD 600, and their function is thought to be ritual rather than astronomical.

Nazca is famous for its pottery, which is often painted with animal, fish, plant, and bird designs in red, white, black, grey, and orange.