Deforestation by the Nazca Civilization of Peru

Environmental Devastation in the Ancient World

Nov 5, 2009

Environmental destruction is not a modern phenomenon. Archeologists have determined that the Nazca civilization of Peru fell victim to their own deforestation practices.

The Nazca civilization flourished over a thousand years ago in the Ica Valley in southern Peru. They lived among dense huarango forests but, over time, cleared the huarango and successfully cultivated maize and cotton in the floodplain of the Ica River to support their growing population.

Today, the Ica Valley has virtually no vegetation and is characterized by flat, stony ground. The strong winds have removed every trace of dust or sand and only the rocks remain. Water is found in the river beds only a few times a year. It is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth and scientists now believe the Nazca's deforestation practices were responsible for the change.

The Nazca Civilization of Peru

The Nazca were a successful civilization located in the coastal area of Peru south of the modern-day capital of Lima. LIttle is known about the every-day life of the Nazca. The civilization is probably best recognized for their mysterious huge drawings of animals and human-like figures known as the Nazca Lines. The drawings were made by moving away the top layer of pebbles to display the different-colored underlying ground surface. The shapes are only recognizable from the air. Their size and precision generated many theories to explain the reason and technology behind their creation, including the popular belief in the involvement of technologically-advanced alien visitors. Some scientists dispute the requirement for advanced technology and have recreated similar designs using tools and methods available at the time of the Nazca, including a rudimentary hot-air balloon.

The Nazca disappeared approximately 1,500 years ago. Archaeologists under the direction of Dr. David Berestord-Jones from the University of Cambridge recently studied the area looking for remains that might explain the downfall of the civilization. They were assisted by Alex Chepstow-Lusty, a paleo-botanist from the French Institute of Andean Studies in Lima. Chepstow-Lusty's study of ancient pollen samples showed a distinct shift in the type of vegetation in the area over time. He determined that the natural population of huarango trees was gradually replaced by agricultural crops, including maize and cotten.

The Environmental Significance of the Huarango Tree

The huarango is a species of mesquite tree. It is also known as kiawe or American carob. The huarango grows to a medium-size and provides good shade. It has a very deep tap root and spreads quickly by both seeds and suckers. Among indigenous populations such as the Nazca, the huarango would have been a source of food, timber, and fuel.

The large huarango forests would have also served to enhance soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and helped break the power of the winds that commonly swept across the Nazca Plain. The deep root system would also have stabilized the top soil against wind and water erosion. Berestord-Jones' research shows that the Nazca gradually shifted from a foraging to an agricultural civilization.

The fertile soil in the Ica River floodplain provided the Nazca with agricultural success which created population growth which created the need for greater food supplies that could be provided through increased agriculture. Increased agriculture required more space and installation of irrigation canals. The Nazca began to clear the huarango forests. This cycle continued until deforestation was virtually complete throughout the valley.

With the loss of the huarango, the valley ecosystem lost the benefit of the nitrogen fixation that contributed to fertile soil. Also lost was the wind and water erosion protection provided by the huarango's canopy and root system. Evidence indicates the irrigation canals began to fail as the huarango roots decayed in the subsurface. This was the beginning of an agricultural downturn.

To make the situation even worse, researchers now have evidence that a significant El Nino event caused a major flood in the Ica Valley around 600 AD. All these factors worked together to create an environmental disaster that directly affected the Nazca civilization. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Nazca faced food shortages, infant mortality, and decreased adult life expectancy. Severe drought became the norm and within a few generations, soil erosion was complete and the valley became a rocky desert. By 500 AD, the Nazca civilization was gone.

The scenario described by the archaeologists who studied the Nazca disputes a commonly held belief that ancient indigenous people lived only in ways allowed within the natural flow of their ecosystems, somehow inately understanding and respecting nature. The story told by the Ica Valley is very similar to the story played out in the American Mid-West leading up to the Dust Bowl.

Evidence continues to prove that humans have extreme power over their environment and must learn to protect and preserve it. Yet, even with all the evidence, the lesson is hard to learn. Currently, the huarango remaining in the areas surrounding the Ica Valley are being destroyed for charcoal production.

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The copyright of the article Deforestation by the Nazca Civilization of Peru in Reforestation is owned by Holly Anderson. Permission to republish Deforestation by the Nazca Civilization of Peru in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.