A Prehistoric Painting of a Massive Cat Laid Out in the Open Air Found in the Peruvian Desert

An ancient art gallery, if you will, may be found in the desert environment just 250 kilometers south of Lima, Peru. An gigantic cat lies across the hillside, adding to the geoglyphs of a humanoid figure, an orca, a monkey, and a hummingbird that were carved into the earth centuries ago. 

The Guardian reports that this feline Nazca line emerged during operations to enhance access to a neighboring hill, which offers a natural lookout point for the other Nazca lines. This reclining feline has been dated by experts to a period between 200 and 100 BC. 

The Nazca Lines, which were formed by excavating away layers of rock and dirt to expose the contrasting elements beneath, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994. The region encompasses over 175 square miles and is home to hundreds of zoomorphic and geometric images, as reported by The Guardian. 

According to Johny Isla, the lead archaeologist for the lines in Peru, “It's quite striking that we’re still finding new figures, but we also know that there are more to be found” (Efe, Spanish news agency). 

The most recent find "was scarcely visible and was about to disappear because it's situated on quite a steep slope that's prone to the effects of natural erosion," added a statement from Peru's culture ministry this week. "The geoglyph, which had been cleaned and conserved during the previous week, depicts a profile of a cat with its head turned toward the viewer." 

Drones have made it increasingly easier to acquire aerial photos of the slopes in recent years, facilitating these discoveries. Isla stated that the Palpa and Nazca valleys had seen the appearance of 80–100 new figures in the past several years; nonetheless, these figures predate the Nazca culture (AD 200–700). 

The cat, on the other hand, is directly associated with the late Paracas period, which began in 500 BC and ended in 200 AD. A comparison of iconographies has shown us that, Isla remarked. "For instance, these geoglyphs are strikingly similar to the birds, cats, and humans depicted on Paracas textiles." 

Despite residing in South Florida at the moment, Travel + Leisure columnist Jessica Poitevien is perpetually seeking out new adventures. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, striking up conversations with random people, and strolling along the beach. On Instagram, you may follow her travels.