Nazca is the name of a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 B.C. and A.D. 800.  They were responsible for the famous Nazca lines and the ceremonial city of Cahuachi; they also constructed an impressive system of underground aqueducts that still function today.
The Nazca lines are the most attractive feature in this culture. These large "geoglyphs", drawings on the earth's surface, make no sense on the ground. We can recognize the features only from the air. There are several kinds of figures, such as fish, birds, monkeys, a whale, spiders and plants. These lines are spread over the ground for more than 800 miles (1,300 km), some of these lines have an extent that is 12 miles (20 km) long. Because these lines are on a flat surface and the local climate is extremely dry, nearly all geoglyphs remain completely intact. These geoglyphs are featured not only in the Nazca, but also in other coastal areas (Zana, Santa, Sechin Valleys, Pampa Canto Grande, and Sihuas Valleys) and in northern Chile.