Yamagata University team finds 143 ancient geoglyphs in Peru's Nazca grasslands

YAMAGATA – Yamagata University has announced the discovery of 143 geoglyphs on the Nazca Pampa and surrounding areas in Peru, including one found in a study using artificial intelligence technology. The university's team, led by professor Masato Sakai, found 142 geoglyphs, including ones depicting humans, snakes and birds, through analysis of high-resolution images of the areas and fieldwork there between 2016 and 2018. The research was based on a hypothesis that many geoglyphs were created along small paths in the western region of the Nazca Pampa, according to the university's announcement Friday. The team conducted the AI-based study with cooperation from IBM Japan Ltd. between 2018 and 2019. The world's first such study analyzed aerial photographs using deep-learning techniques to look for what are likely to be geoglyphs.