Ancient Peruvian Mystery About Mysterious Spiral Wells Dug By Nazca Civilization Solved — The ‘Puquios’ Were Built For A Specific Reason

An ancient Peruvian mystery, involving one of the many creations by the Nazca civilization, has been solved. By studying satellite imagery, researchers have finally deciphered the true intention of Puquios, a series of spiral funnels that bore deep into the soil and led to an intricate maze of interconnected underground canals.

The Nazca region of Peru is one of the most arid places that humans once inhabited. The Nazca civilization, believed to have existed from 500 to 200 B.C.E., is famous for the Nazca lines that have been carved over great distances into the Peruvian desert. However, besides the impressive set of lines, the Nazca civilization is also known for several enormous geometric images carved into the landscape, immaculate archaeological evidence of ceremonial burials, among other features that still baffle archaeologists. Amidst the myriad mysteries lies puquios, a large number of corkscrew-shaped tunnels that lead to a system of underground canals.

The purpose of the puquios has remained a mystery. Moreover, archaeologists have long pondered about the ability of the Nazca civilization to survive where droughts were not just a common feature, but also lasted for several years. With modern societies and even countries struggling with dwindling water supply, it was truly a remarkable feat that the Nazca civilization not only refused to abandon their homes in search of greener pastures with more dependable sources of water, but also actually flourished in the arid desert. Now the two mysteries have been solved. Researchers have been able to figure out the purpose of puquios and are now able to confidently indicate how the people survived.

The puquios are essentially vertical wind tunnels that funneled strong gusts of air into a system of underground canals, shared Rosa Lasaponara of the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis in Italy,

“The puquios were a sophisticated hydraulic system constructed to retrieve water from underground aquifers. And they transformed this inhospitable region.”

The Mysterious #Nazca Lines https://t.co/A3X6s5Mthw #Mysteries pic.twitter.com/go2M51OrBS

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Lasaponara and her team used satellite images to pinpoint the position of all the puquios across the Nazca region and then compared them to how water sources and settlements were distributed, reported BBC. The team closely examined the data and then correlated the same with nearby settlements, which are easier to date. This revealed the true purpose of the puquios, continued Lasaponara,

“What is clearly evident today is that the puquio system must have been much more developed than it appears today. Exploiting an inexhaustible water supply throughout the year the puquio system contributed to an intensive agriculture of the valleys in one of the most arid places in the world.

“The puquios were the most ambitious hydraulic project in the Nasca area and made water available for the whole year, not only for agriculture and irrigation but also for domestic needs.”

The canals would drive the water, which was trapped underground, to areas where the Nazca civilization required. To ensure the water was kept mobile, long, conical, funnel-shaped chimneys were dug above the canals. Owing to the design of the funnels, wind was channeled inside and forced the water to spread throughout the system.

The system allowed the area, which faced year-long droughts, to have perpetual access to water through underground channels, reported the Huffington Post. The hypothesis will be published in Ancient Nasca World: New Insights from Science and Archaeology.

Lasaponara notes the Nazca civilization had an advanced understanding of the region’s geology and annual variations in water supply. However, she adds that the advanced knowledge may not have been used democratically. Many in the civilization might have manipulated the water supply through the puquio system politically by “controlling water distribution by those in power over the communities that came under their influence.”

Interestingly, the famous Nazca lines and other geoglyphs might be connected with the puquio system. The Nazca lines, many of which were discovered recently, may be maps or even pointers that indicated the flow of the water deep underground as well as the reservoirs, suggest experts.

[Image via YouTube Video Screen Grab]