A fascinating and mysterious civilisation. A series of incredible geoglyphs, lines crossing the desert for several kilometres long and enormous drawings on the ground – these are the Nazca lines! The Nazca civilisation has left the world more than 1000 years of heritage, a precious heritage partially yet to be discovered and still carefully examined. For this reason, every year an international team of researchers, headed by Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Orefici, Director of the CISRAP in Brescia (Italian Centre of Pre-Columbian Archaeological Studies and Research) and co-ordinator of the largest European mission in Peru, Proyecto Nasca, sets out on a scientific expedition to Cahuachi, the capital of the Nazca culture, 24 sq. km. in size, and considered by researchers to be the largest spiritual ritual centre in the world made of rough mud bricks. This site, rich in mystery, has been deliberately destroyed and buried by its elite Nazca priesthood. It is believed that the main reason for such meticulous destruction, which has considerably slowed down the dig but preserved the findings, was caused by the terrible Nino of 500 AD. The violence of this meteorological phenomenon is able to alter the morphology of the land and made the Nazca people believe that the centre no longer had reason to exist: the gods were no longer listening to their prayers. (More) ...