Cited by 18Archaeology and Cultural HeritageArchaeological Research and ProtectionArchaeology and Rock Art Studies

AI-accelerated Nazca survey nearly doubles the number of known figurative geoglyphs and sheds light on their purpose

Open access
Sakai, Masato, Sakurai, Akihisa, Lu, Siyuan, Olano, Jorge, Albrecht, Conrad M., Hamann, Hendrik F., Freitag, Marcus·2024·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

It took nearly a century to discover a total of 430 figurative Nazca geoglyphs, which offer significant insights into the ancient cultures at the Nazca Pampa. Here, we report the deployment of an AI system to the entire Nazca region, a UNESCO World Heritage site, leading to the discovery of 303 new figurative geoglyphs within only 6 mo of field survey, nearly doubling the number of known figurative geoglyphs. Even with limited training examples, the developed AI approach is demonstrated to be effective in detecting the smaller relief-type geoglyphs, which unlike the giant line-type geoglyphs are very difficult to discern. The improved account of figurative geoglyphs enables us to analyze their motifs and distribution across the Nazca Pampa. We find that relief-type geoglyphs depict mainly human motifs or motifs of things modified by humans, such as domesticated animals and decapitated heads (81.6%). They are typically located within viewing distance (on average 43 m) of ancient trails that crisscross the Nazca Pampa and were most likely built and viewed at the individual or small-group level. On the other hand, the giant line-type figurative geoglyphs mainly depict wild animals (64%). They are found an average of 34 m from the elaborate linear/trapezoidal network of geoglyphs, which suggests that they were probably built and used on a community level for ritual activities.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

An AI-assisted survey of the Nazca Pampa detected 303 new figurative relief-type geoglyphs, nearly doubling the known total, and found that relief-type and line-type geoglyphs differ in motifs, distribution, and likely purpose. Relief-type geoglyphs are associated with informal trails and human/domesticated motifs, while line-type geoglyphs are associated with the formal linear/trapezoidal network and wild-animal motifs.

Key findings

  • The AI-assisted survey detected 303 new figurative relief-type geoglyphs, almost doubling the previously known 380 relief-type geoglyphs; it also found 42 new geometric geoglyphs.
  • Motifs differ strongly: line-type geoglyphs (50 known) are 64% wild animals, while relief-type geoglyphs (683 total after the new finds) are 81.6% human or human-modified motifs—33.8% humanoids, 32.9% decapitated heads, and 14.9% domesticated camelids—with wild animals only 6.9% (47 geoglyphs).
  • Distribution differs: relief-type geoglyph groups average 43 m from the nearest trail, whereas line-type geoglyphs average 34 m from the nearest line/trapezoid. The authors conclude relief-type geoglyphs were viewed while walking trails and shared information among individuals or small groups, while line-type geoglyphs were part of a community ceremonial/pilgrimage network.
  • Discovery rate accelerated from about 1.5 geoglyphs/y historically to 18.7/y in 2004–2020, and the 2022/23 season’s 303 new figurative geoglyphs represent a further 16-fold acceleration.

Methods

  • The AI model used a pretrained neural network fine-tuned on relief-type geoglyphs, with a gridded classification model producing a continuous geoglyph probability map at 5 m resolution. It consumed 112 × 112 pixel true-color crops (about 11 × 11 m), sampled with a moving window step of about 5 m and 3 m overlap; training/validation used 401 relief-type geoglyph outlines (368 training, 33 validation) from 406 known relief-type geoglyphs, with data augmentation.
  • Screening examined 47,410 AI candidate boxes, assigning 1,309 high-potential candidates to three ranks over 1,200 labor hours; the September 2022–February 2023 field survey visited 341 locations over 1,440 labor hours and confirmed 303 new figurative geoglyphs, for 2,640 total labor hours.
  • Spatial analysis compared distances between relief-type geoglyph groups and trails, and between line-type geoglyphs and the linear/trapezoidal network, alongside motif classification and pottery-based dating context.

Limitations

  • The paper states that 968 promising candidates could not be surveyed in 2022/23 and estimates at least 248 additional AI-proposed figurative geoglyphs may be found in future fieldwork (37 Rank I, 66 Rank II, 145 Rank III), excluding additional group finds and non-AI finds.
  • The paper states the trail meshwork is only partially mapped, so a 500 m cutoff was used and geoglyphs not within 500 m of trails were removed from the analysis.
  • Evident from the text: the AI focused only on relief-type geoglyphs, training data were limited to a few hundred known geoglyphs with poor contrast, and screening still required substantial human labor (1,200 hours; an average of 36 AI suggestions per promising candidate).

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.2407652121

Cites

32 of 32 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

  • Findingown data

    42 new geometric geoglyphs were discovered.

    “In addition, 42 new geometric geoglyphs were discovered”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    968 promising candidates could not be surveyed during the 2022/23 fieldwork.

    “Nine hundred sixty-eight of the promising candidates could not be surveyed during the 2022/23 fieldwork.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    The field survey confirmed 303 newly confirmed figurative geoglyphs.

    “It required 1,440 labor hours and resulted in 303 newly confirmed figurative geoglyphs.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    There is a significant difference between the 50 large line-type geoglyphs and the 683 small relief-type geoglyphs in what is depicted.

    “As a result of integrating the newly discovered 303 geoglyphs into the already known figurative geoglyphs, we found that there is a significant difference between the 50 large line-type geoglyphs and the 683 small relief-type geoglyphs in what is depicted”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Most relief-type geoglyphs (81.6%) depict human motifs or motifs of things modified by humans: 33.8% humanoids, 32.9% decapitated heads, and 14.9% domesticated camelids.

    “Most relief-type geoglyphs (81.6%) depict human motifs or motifs of things modified by humans (33.8% humanoids, 32.9% decapitated heads, and 14.9% domesticated camelids).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 8
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 5
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The AI-assisted survey detected 303 new figurative relief-type geoglyphs, almost doubling the known relief-type geoglyphs.

    “It has assisted in detecting 303 new figurative relief-type geoglyphs, almost doubling the amount of known relief-type geoglyphs”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingreasoning

    Of the 125 not individually AI-suggested geoglyphs, 66 were found as part of an AI-discovered group, and 59 were found without AI help or outside AI-suggested boxes.

    “Thus, of the 125 not individually AI-suggested geoglyphs, 66 were found as part of an AI-discovered group. The remaining 59 were found during the field survey without any help from AI or during screening outside of the AI-suggested boxes.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Of the 303 newly discovered figurative geoglyphs, 178 were individually suggested by the AI and 125 were not individually AI-suggested.

    “Of the 303 newly discovered figurative geoglyphs, 178 were individually suggested by the AI and 125 were not individually AI-suggested”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    The 1,309 high-potential AI candidates were sorted into three ranks.

    “The 1,309 candidates with high potential were further sorted into three ranks”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The main motifs of relief-type geoglyphs were humans, livestock, and human sacrifice, depicting scenes with humans or things modified by humans.

    “The main motifs of the relief-type geoglyphs were humans, livestock, and human sacrifice, all of which depict scenes with humans or things modified by humans.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The current work represents a 16-fold acceleration (303 new figurative geoglyphs during the 2022/23 season).

    “Our current work represents another 16-fold acceleration (303 new figurative geoglyphs during the 2022/23 season of field work) using big geospatial data technologies and data mining with the aid of AI.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    The combined effort of screening AI suggestions and surveying the resulting sites on the ground resulted in 2,640 labor hours.

    “Correspondingly, the combined effort of researchers screening AI suggestions and surveying the resulting sites on the ground resulted in an effort of 2,640 labor hours.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    The field survey required 1,440 labor hours.

    “It required 1,440 labor hours”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Relief-type figurative geoglyphs were constructed at an average distance of 43 m from the trails, either individually or as a combination of geoglyphs depicting some scene.

    “Average distances between relief-type geoglyph groups and the nearest trail are 43 m.”
    • Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
      “Relief-type figurative geoglyphs were constructed at an average distance of 43 m from the trails, either individually or as a combination of geoglyphs depicting some scene.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The line-type figurative geoglyphs and straight-line network were established and used by the communities of the Ingenio River Valley.

    “It is reasonable to assume that they were established and used by the communities of the Ingenio River Valley.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    AI may be at the brink of ushering in a revolution in archaeological discoveries.

    “Thus, AI may be at the brink of ushering in a revolution in archaeological discoveries like the revolution aerial imaging has had on the field.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The line-type figurative geoglyphs and the straight-line network can be regarded as planned public architecture.

    “Since not only the line-type figurative geoglyphs but also the straight-line network shows a certain level of standardization, they can be regarded as planned public architecture.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
12 of 12
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Relief-type geoglyphs are on average only 9 m in size.

    “Relief-type geoglyphs are on average only 9 m in size, and they often depict humanoids and domesticated animals, more specifically llamas.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The success rates of visited candidates within each rank are representative of unvisited candidates in the same rank.

    “Applying success rates to all the candidate geoglyphs in each group, it can be pointed out that an additional 37 of the first rank, 66 of the second rank, and 145 of the third rank are likely to be authentic.”
2 of 2

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

  • Image-crop overlap does not match crop width and step size

    Minor

    The image crops are described as about 11 m wide. With an approximately 5 m step between neighboring crops, their overlap would be about 6 m, not 3 m.

    Reported 3 · recomputed 6

1 of 1

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 11

  1. M. Reiche, Mystery on the Desert (Editora Medica Peruana, Lima, 1949).
  2. M. Reiche, Contribuciones a la geometría y astronomía en el antiguo perú (Asociación María Reiche para las Líneas de Nasca, Lima, 1993).
  3. L. G. Lumbreras, Formulación de los lineamientos para la elaboración de un Plan de manejo de las líneas de Nasca 1: contexto arqueológico (Instituto Nacional de Cultura del Perú & UNESCO, Lima, 2000).
  4. E. Herrán, Geoglifos de Nazca: Clásicos y Nuevos Hallazgos (Nasca, 2014), [Self-published e-book].
  5. E. Herrán, Líneas de Nasca: De los hombres que dibujaron el desierto (Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Fondo Editorial, Lima, 2018).
  6. M. Sakai, Nasca Geoglyphs: Spatial Distribution Rule, Purpose of Construction, and Protection (in Japanese) (Embassy of the Republic of Peru in Japan, Tokyo, 2023).
  7. M. Sakai, J. Olano, “Lines and figures of the pampa de Nazca” in Nasca, C. Pardo, P. Fux, Eds. (Asociación Museo de Arte de Lima, Lima, 2017), pp. 124–131, 366–368.
  8. M. Sakai, J. Olano, Y. Matsumoto, H. Takahashi, Centros de líneas y cerámica en las Pampas de Nasca, Perú, 2010 (Yamagata University Press, Yamagata, 2014).
  9. M. Sakai, J. Olano, H. Takahashi, Centros de líneas y cerámica en las Pampas de Nasca, Perú, hasta el año 2018 (Yamagata University Press, Yamagata, 2019).
  10. M. Sakai, J. Olano, H. Takahashi, Líneas y cerámica en las Pampas de Nasca, Perú, 2011–2013 (Yamagata University Press, Yamagata, 2021).
  11. M. Reindel, J. Isla, K. Koschmieder, Vorspanische Siedlungen und Bodenzeichnungen in Palpa, Südperu/Asentamientos prehispánicos y geoglifos en Palpa, costa sur del Perú. Beiträge zur Allgemeinen und Vergleichenden Archäologie 19, 313–381 (1999).

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Sakai, M., Sakurai, A., Lu, S., Olano, J., Albrecht, C. M., Hamann, H. F., & Freitag, M.
Affiliations
  • Yamagata University (JP)
  • Archéologie des Amériques (FR)
  • IBM Research - Thomas J. Watson Research Center (US)
Corresponding author
  • Sakai, Masato
  • Freitag, Marcus
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2024-09-23
Volume
121
Issue
40
Pages
e2407652121-e2407652121
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W4402740526
Cited by
18
References
30
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 2
FWCI
51.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • elib (German Aerospace Center) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (20H00041)
  • Yamagata University (YU-COE(S)(S-4))
  • IBM | IBM Research (Joint Study Agreement)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Space and Planetary Science › Archaeological Research and Protection
  • Social Sciences › Archeology › Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
Keywords
ritual landscape, domestic animals, archaeological survey
MeSH terms
Archaeology, Humans, History, Ancient

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