NASCA CULTURE

Between the beginnings of our era and the 700 a.C., in the arid deserts of the Ica region emerged a civilization: The Nasca Culture, which based were the valleys of the Chincha, Pisco and Nasca rivers. The birth of this culture is tied to Cahuachi, the ceremonial center located in the Valle Grande of Nasca.

CULTURAL INFLUENCE

It is certainly known Nasca men had a rich cultural interchange with the people of Paracas Necropolis, and finally they were defeated.

Certainty, the Nasca influence was extend from Cahuachi to the surroundings valleys, but the reasons of its downfall and transformation are not clear enough. Though, the theory of political repercussions because a violent El Niño phenomenon occurred between the VI and VII centuries is very likely.

On the other hand, the increase in the construction of the famous aqueducts which carried water to the grow ground, suggests the weather turn unfavorable. This also affected in the relation between the coast and the highlands, in this way the large cultural development of the Nasca culture was stop because the Huari`s growth during the 800 century of our era.

HYDRAULICS

The Nasca people were set in a large tectonic elevation in the southern desert, this desert, ends in the shorts of the sea, making a low cliff. The area is infertile, the weather is warm with no rains. The hydraulic technology the Nascas' developed was mainly for their survivor and it had been the central physic axis of the economic and cultural development. The net of canals to distribute the water from the rivers, specially the Rio Grande hollow, and to utilize the water of the phreatic layer, they built subterranean aqueducts. The gaps over the ground were used to clean the canals, making all these part of sophisticated technology.

ORGANIZATION

It is very likely that the political and social organization of the Nasca people have been a religious confederation which gathers different valleys of the area. The social organization was based in blood relationships. The mortuary bundles founded suggest there were strong differences of lineage and rank.

NASCA ART

The main Nasca art manifestations are found in pottery and textiles. In the first stage they represented wars, rituals and common scenes of their daily life, sometimes women also take part of it. During the VI a.C., there was a change in this style, an increase of the thematic repertory and also pictures much more overloaded in matted scenes with animals, birds, whales and felines. Likewise, the depictions of human deities with animal characteristics become more frequent.

The use of diverse motifs in a same piece without blank spaces between them was called: "emptiness horror" which is a main characteristic of the Nasca pottery. Onwards, the cultural contact with the highlands, especially with Ayacucho area, impulse the espousal of designs and shapes of their designs and shapes, and this style influenced the Huari culture.