Orca Glyph

This geo-glyph of an Orca was recently re-discovered recently, in 2015, after having been lost to public knowledge for more than 50 years. The glyph can be found in the desert hillside of a remote region in Palpa, south of Peru. It is believe to be the largest geo-glyph in the Palpa region and may be older than that of the geo-glyphs in the Nazca region.

Johnny Isla, the head of Peru's Ministry of Culture in Ica province (that includes both the Palpa and Nazca Region), saw a photo in an archaeological catalog of geo-glyphs from the 1970s that featured the Orca glyph. The location and size of the glyph were not well described within the catalog and it had been so long that even the locals did not realize it was there. Upon returning to Peru, Isla searched for it on foot and through GoogleEarth, eventually finding the glyph after almost giving up hope.

In ancient Peruvian lore, the Orca was a semi-mythical creature and symbol of power. Isla brought a team of six specialists from Peru's Ministry of Culture in order to restore the geo-glyph to its former glory. The geo-glyph had been disappearing because it had been drawn on a slope and was being affected by erosion and time. The creators of the Orca carved it into the ground by removing a thin layer of stones to form the outline, similar to the geo-glyphs from the Nazca culture. However, some contrasting parts have been made by piles of stones, a technique used by people of the Paracas culture. According to Isla, the Paracas society was theocratic and agricultural, and made important advancements in textiles and ceramics.