The plains consist of a powdery gypsum-laden soil covered by a layer of rocks and stones; glacial debris that has been fragmented into small pieces. These stones are heavy as they have a high iron content and through oxidization they have darkened to give the site its distinctive reddish-brown tone.

The lines and geoglyphs were created by clearing the stones and piling them to either side of the lines, thus exposing and contrasting the stones with the lighter-coloured soil underneath.

If we accept that there were no spaceships or hot-air balloons to guide the people of Nazca when they laid out these large designs, then how did they do it? Researchers suggest that this was achieved by using fixed points on the horizon to create the longer straight lines, and simple measuring devices, such as lengths of twine and sticks for the more intricate designs and curves. Indeed it is the remnants of pieces of wood that have been carbon dated to suggest that the drawings were produced between 200 BC and 700 AD.