Researchers have analysed 100 recently discovered geoglyphs engraved into the Nazca Desert in southern Peru, as well as nearby shards of ancient ceramics, providing new clues about the creators of the mysterious Nazca Lines.

It's believed that the huge, complex engravings, which range from simple geometric line drawings to detailed images of animals and extraterrestrial-looking beings, were created by the native local cultures between 200 BC and 600 AD, but very little detail is known about why they were drawn. The largest Nazca Lines stretch over 200 metres across - something that makes for incredible viewing from above - and are believed to have have religious significance. Remarkably, most of the lines have been naturally preserved over the past 1,500 years due to the dry and windless climate of the elevated desert.