A mysterious site spans the landscape of Pisco Valley, Peru. On the same plateau where the famous Nazca Lines are found, thousands of holes have been carved into rock, creating a band that stretches further than a mile. It is unknown who carved these holes, or why they were created, but it is clear that this vast creation must have been a painstaking job, requiring many hours of manpower.

The band of holes in Pisco Valley, Peru literally contains thousands of holes. Described as “man-sized,” these holes are approximately a meter wide, and one to two meters deep. Some of the holes are quite shallow, giving the appearance that they had not yet been completed. They were carved into a band, approximately 8-10 holes wide, and span a mile across a rugged mountain terrain. The number of holes is estimated to be around 6,900. Some of the holes are lined up with precision, while others appear more staggered. It is estimated that it took decades to chip the stone away to reveal the band of holes, but it is unknown why this task was undertaken. Today’s inhabitants of the area do not know how the holes were created, why they were created, or who created them.

The mysterious holes of Pisco Valley, Peru. (CC BY 3.0)

There have not been any artifacts uncovered to reveal any further information about the holes. Some believe that because the holes are “man-sized,” that they may be some sort of vertical grave, intended for burying the dead. However, this has not been substantiated by the recovery of any bones, artifacts, or other human remains to indicate a burial site. Some archaeologists have theorized that the holes were dug to store grain, and other essentials. Considering the quantity of holes, and the depth of each hole, it is likely that any civilization would have been able to store a great volume of grain. However, this theory has been criticized. Storage containers for grain could have been built with much more ease than the efforts required to carve the holes into the rock. For that reason, it is unlikely that any inhabitant would take on the arduous task of carving the holes if there were a better way to accomplish their storage goals.

Screenshot from Google Maps showing long band of holes at left, and indications of a settlement to the right.  Credit: 2014 Google Imagery

While it is unknown who created the holes, they are clearly a man-made construction. A few miles to the east of the band of holes, satellite imagery reveals what appear to be the remnants of an ancient civilization. Although the area has not been identified as the location of a particular civilization, it closely resembles the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. The mystery of who created the holes, and for what purpose, may be solved by further exploring what may be the remnants of a nearby ancient settlement.

Few other clues about the holes have been uncovered. The band of holes covers a mile of rocky mountain terrain, with a well-defined beginning and ending point. The ending point has brought forth some speculation due to its odd appearance. The band abruptly comes to an end near an area of land that has an unnaturally darkened color. Some have said that the darkened area appears to resemble an area that has been destroyed by an explosion. There have been alternative theories that the holes were created by extraterrestrial beings – perhaps ancient aliens who visited Earth, and left behind markings to help show where they had been.

Clearly, an image as striking as the band of holes in Pisco Valley, Peru is bound to bring forth many questions as to who created the holes, and why. We can be certain that such a labor-intensive creation must have held some sort of purpose for those creating it, although that purpose has left behind no indication of what it may have been. Not a single hair or tooth or artifact has been found to date to shed light upon this mysterious band, leaving it to be labeled as one of the unsolved mysteries of the world.

Featured image: The Band of Holes in Pisco Valley, Nazca Plateau, Peru (CC BY 3.0)

Sources

“Band of Holes,” Pisco Valley, Peru – Incredipedia. Available from: http://www.incredipedia.info/2012/01/band-of-holes-pisco-valley-peru.html

Band of Holes near Pisco Valley, Peru – Crystalinks. Available from: http://www.crystalinks.com/bandofholesperu610.html

Band of Holes – Wikipedia. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_of_Holes

Band of Holes – Pisco Valley Peru – World Mysteries. Available from: http://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_piscovalley.htm

By M R Reese