Mysteries Of Peru

Big Bird lives! He's out in the Nazca desert in Peru. Ok, it's not Big Bird, but it is a big bird, and along with several other humongous outlines of animals, the giant fowl poses a mystery to contemporary archaeologists and historians. Why did the ancient Peruvians some two thousand years ago draw the vast network of lines which can only be seen as animals from the vantage point of the air? It's a question to which the German-born mathematician Maria Reiche has dedicated the better part of her life. Mysteries of Peru: The Lines features interviews with the then 82-year-old Reiche, who believes the lines are part of an astronomical calendar, and several other scholars who are drawn by the seemingly inexplicable and remarkably accurate outlines. The second video, Mysteries of Peru: Enigma of the Ruins examines the cultural artifacts of the ancient Chimu people, a coastal pre-Incan civilization that built tortuous labyrinths used for religious and ceremonial purposes. Modern explorers take us through the twisting series of narrowing corridors, commenting on the likely adverse psychological effects on those who were being sent to the inner sanctum (a claustrophobic native would have suffered a heart attack before reaching the core). Also found on the sites are some textiles with elaborate designs and pottery featuring sexually explicit decorations (as pre-Incan civilizations go, the Chimu were a little on the kinky side). In addition to the ruins, the program takes a fascinating look at the complex system of irrigation canals which the Chimu used to cultivate their dry inland settlements, and advances the theory that the notoriously destructive El Niño storms may have caused the Chimu's downfall. Although the programs are older (they were produced by the BBC in 1985), they are still engaging, likely to be of interest to those who enjoy natural mysteries, and affordably priced. Recommended. (R. Pitman)