---
node: sa_nazca_culture
type: event
slug: nazca_culture
title: "Nazca culture"
lead: "The Nazca culture flourished on the arid south coast of Peru from about 100 BC to AD 800. It is best known for the Nazca Lines and its colorful pottery."
published: 2026-07-13
updated: 2026-07-13
image_file: nazca_culture.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L%C3%ADneas_de_Nazca,_Nazca,_Per%C3%BA,_2015-07-29,_DD_52.JPG"
image_author: "Diego Delso"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

## What happened

Living in one of the driest deserts on Earth, the Nazca farmed with the help of underground aqueducts called puquios that still function today. They inherited much from the earlier Paracas culture.

## Background

The Nazca created the vast desert geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines and produced fine polychrome ceramics and textiles. Their art is rich with images of animals, plants, and mythical beings.

## Consequences

The culture declined by around AD 800, possibly as deforestation and drought strained its fragile environment. The Nazca Lines remain its most famous and enduring legacy.