Abstract for presentation at The 13th Australasian Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Conference

In the Nasca desert plain, there are well known structures called geoglyphs. About 40 years of her live, the Maria Reiche (1903-1998) from Dresden investigated these structures. In the 1994 the Foundation of the Association „Maria Reiche“ in Dresden was founded for extension and continual science work –flow in the Nasca region. In this frame, expeditions to the Peru were realized (the 1st Nazca- Expedition was in 1994, next in 1996, 2003 and 2004). In the 1995 started the Nazcaproject at the University of Applied Sciences in Dresden. The origin and reason of geoglypshs are not well known. There are major theories: calendar and astronomical purpose, marking pf subterranean water resources, movement and communication, ceremonial and religious signification, working therapy, artistic expression and extraterrestrials influence. In the year 2004, the expedition was realised as an international action with participants from Germany (members and students of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Dresden and Berlin), Czech Republic (the Technical University in Prague) and Peru (members of the Asociación Maria Reiche Nazca/Peru). The measurement of necessary control points for aerial images (about 150 images), satellite images (Ikonos and QuickBird) by precise GPS instruments and next, documentation and measurement of about 120 petroglyphs (paintings on stones) were the major aim of these expedition. Simple, but rash and easy technology for petroglyphs documentation was used. Satellite images were processed to the maps. All information’s are processed and stored in Nazca GIS. The Nazca-project’s goals are: storage and preservation of the world cultural heritage in digital form, presentation of data and resulting information. The paper refers about results of this work.