Cantalloc Aqueducts, Nazca, Ica, Peru

The Cantalloc Aqueducts are a series of aqueducts located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of the city of Nazca, Peru, built by the Nazca culture.

More than 40 aqueducts were built, which were used all year round. There are other aqueducts in different parts of the city.

They are part of a system of aqueducts of the same type called puquios that were built by the pre-Inca civilization of Nazca about 1,500 years ago.

The holes in the ground are designed to allow wind to blow into a series of underground canals, in which water from underground aquifers flows.

The aqueducts ensured the supply of water to the city of Nazca and the surrounding fields, allowing the cultivation of cotton, beans, potatoes, and other crops in an arid region.

Entrance to the Cantalloc Aqueducts

Cerro Blanco
Cerro Blanco, also known as Duna Grande, rises up in the deserts to the southeast of the city of Nazca. At around 1,176 m (3,860 ft) from base to peak.

The Nazca civilization once believed the dune to be a source of water, even believing some kind of lake or reservoir lay at its center. Some locals still believe this legend and walk up to the top of the dune to leave offerings, in much the same way as the Nazca before them.
Local mythology holds that this mountain was created to be perpetually watched over by a protective goddess called Pariacaca.
Among the most notable myths related to these hills is one about an epic battle between both divinities: the goddess Pariacaca of the Cerro Blanco (White Hill) against the nameless male god of the Cerro Azul (Blue Hill). According to this ancient story, after a long struggle between both celestial beings, they decided to divide their territories, leaving Cerro Azul as an agricultural area blessed with enough rain to ensure prosperous crops, while Cerro Blanco became an area of protection and peace.