1963 Nasca (Nazca) geoglyphs, Peru desert. The desert surface is covered by a layer of dark stones lying on top of fine yellow sediment left by an ancient alluvial deposit. The markings were made by simply moving the stones to one side as on a giant scraper board. In places the surface is so fragile that even footsteps will show.

This trapezoid is on the west side of the Panamerican highway close to Nasca town. When the highway was built the end of the feature was destroyed leaving the present length at about 515 metres. At the end of the trapezoid close to the road is a small shrine and to one side is a simple cemetery. On the hill on the far side of the road is a shrine and near the summit a political slogan for the past president Manuel Odria. There are many other small lines, narrow paths and pockmarks left by local treasure hunters. In the alluvial flow on the left the black spots are clumps of specialist plants.

Camera: MPP Microflex Twin Lens Reflex with F3.5 77.5mm Taylor Taylor Hobson lens. Film Kodak Verichrome Pan at F5.6 - 1/300 second with a 3 x orange filter (Actina) to increase the contrast between the stones and the yellow sediment. Developed by hand in Lima using Kodak Microdol at normal dilution.

Negative Peru 63-45-02 © Tony Morrison