Quote:
Originally posted by Jeff Corey
Joe Nickell has demonstrated that they didn't need hot air balloons, but rather stakes and rope, both of which were available.
Check out his articles in Skeptical Inquirer. In one, he recreates a full sized Nasca figure without the use of a flying saucer, or an almost equally improbable hot air balloon.
"Sirius 1 on final approach..."
Yes, most archaeologists are of the opinion that neither the alien nor hot air balloon theories are likely; rather, it was most likely done entirely on the ground. The figures are huge, to be sure, but not so huge that one would need a high vantage point to direct their contruction. As Mr. Corey mentions, stakes and rope arranged in a specific fashion would do the trick. The lines themselves were easy to fashion:
All the Nazca had to do was brush away all the dark rock and gravel along the line, exposing the light sand beneath. It should be obvious that any spaceship trying to land on or near such a figure would blast the lines into oblivion. Even landing a small plane on the lines would be disastrous, and several lines have already been severely damaged because tourists drove
cars over them.