Case

                                                Case study

My main case focuses on David Johnson's study of water resources in Peru with a team of geologists and archaeologists who scientifically tested his theory. Johnson was most notably joined by geologist Stephen Mabee and principal archaeologist Donald Proulx as they secured funding from the National Geographic Society for his research on water in the late 90's. The main goal of their research was to obtain scientific evidence to prove:

"1. Faults and alluvial gravels intersect the valleys and often conduct water through aquifers (concentrated zones of higher permeability deposits capable of conveying groundwater),

2. Aquifers supply water to the puquios through these alluvial gravels including geological faults, and

3. Geoglyphs map the course of the aquifers" (Proulx 6). 

Additionally, five sites within the Rio Grande de Nazca drainage were studied to determine their relationship between groundwater resources and the Nazca lines. At each of the five sites, numerous standard geological and hydrological investigations were performed: 

1. Lineament analysis of satellite imagery to locate bedrock structures and faults

2. Mapping to verify geology and the nature of bedrock faults

3. Geophysical surveying with resistivity profiling equipment and electromagnetic induction to map subsurface faults as they cross the valleys and to locate the position of puquios.

4. Archaeological investigations to date and determine the basic function of each site and to confirm the association of geoglyphs with the sites

5. Surveying to measure water levels and map surface and subsurface features; and

6. Basic water quality sampling to help fingerprint the source of the subterranean water moving through the faults and sediments. A map was to be prepared for each site documenting the location of faults, archaeological sites, water sources (wells, aquifers, puquios), and geoglyphs).  

The results of their study determined that although the validity of Johnson's hypothesis was met with mixed results, a positive result of their research is a much better understanding of the geology and hydrology of the Rio Grande de Nazca drainage. Although a direct relationship between the lineaments/faults and geoglyphs are indeterminate, there are hopes that continued research will link the two in proof of Johnson's theory.

Here are the links and citations for some of the articles that I will be using to discuss my case: 

• Proulx, Donald A. “The Nasca Lines Project (1996-2000).” Nasca Lines Project, people.umass.edu/~proulx/Nasca_Lines_Project.html.:~https://people.umass.edu/~proulx/Nasca_Lines_Project.html

• Johnson D.W., Proulx D.A., Mabee S.B. (2002) The Correlation Between Geoglyphs and Subterranean Water Resources in the Río Grande de Nazca Drainage. In: Silverman H., Isbell W.H. (eds) Andean Archaeology II. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0597-6_12.: ~https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4615-0597-6_12

• Johnson, David. Beneath the Nasca Lines and Other Coastal Geoglyphs of Peru and Chile. United States, Global Learning, 2009.: ~https://grahamhancock.com/johnsond1/