Image Gallery: The Nazca Lines of Russia

Ancient Art

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image copyright 2012 Geoeye, copyright 2012 GIS Innovatsia, courtesy Google Earth.)

The newly discovered geoglyph faces to the north (south is at the top of the image) and depicts an elk or deer. Visible from a nearby ridge it has four legs, two antlers and an elongated muzzle. It is made of stone and recent archaeological work indicates that it dates to somewhere between the 6th millennium and 3rd millennium BC, thousands of years before the Nazca Lines were created. Today it is covered with soil but, back when it was first constructed, it would have looked "white and slightly shiny" researchers say.

Beautiful in many seasons

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image copyright 2012 Geoeye, copyright 2012 GIS Innovatsia, courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

Another Google Earth satellite view of the geoglyph, taken at a different season.

History adds information

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image copyright 2012 Geoeye, copyright 2012 GIS Innovatsia, courtesy Google Earth.)

A historical Google Earth image from 2007, in this image it looks like the animal might have a tail.

Change over time

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

The geoglyph as seen from Zjuratkul ridge with Zjuratkul Lake in the background. Palaeozoological suggests that the land would likely have been unforested at the time the glyph was made.

Watchful eye

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

A view of Zjuratkul Ridge, it towers over the geoglyph.

Original makeup

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

The geoglyph was made out of stone, now covered by soil, and an archaeological team has been at work studying it.

Pieces and parts

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

At the bottom of this image are rocks that make up the contour of a leg. The top part of the image shows a "partition" between the leg and hoof.

Using what's close

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

Part of a hoof, made up of small crushed rock and clay.

A nose is a nose

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

The termination of the animal's muzzle.

Interesting find

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

A ruined passageway, several of these were found last summer on the muzzle and a hoof.

Early tools

Russian geoglyph, archaeology

(Image credit: Image courtesy Stanislav Grigoriev.)

Dozens of mattocks were found that could have been used, like pickaxes, for extracting clay.

Live Science Staff
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