Even a cursory inspection of the image reveals some intriguing symmetries. These are no random scribbles, but a measured effort. For instance, check the diagram above for the clearly intentional alignment along the bases of the tail, and of the hands, and the tops of the sixteen lines forming a grill on the right. This alignment is perfectly perpendicular to the central axis of the X shape. I believe that Maria Reiche (Nasca's scholarly guardian angel) would have noted this alignment.

The big X ( 'a' and 'b', the two longest lines) hugs visually exact 36 degrees, or one-tenth of a circle. See the similarity between the star configuration on the left, and the monkey configuration on the right of the diagram. There is identity of angle and of proportion, here.

This fact ignited my curiosity, as the 5-pointed star (36 degrees at each point) is pivotal to La Marche. More testing then led to sensational findings.

These elements are in position, before the experimenter has any idea of what is going to happen. There is no control over the result. If in the end the elements should add up to a real system, which expresses real ideas, then this was once the designer's thought.

The sharing of hermetic ideas begins with the two designs sharing the basics. In the beginning, there has got to be a regular 5-pointed star, each of whose arms is seen as five units long. The units are sometimes expressed by unit circles (like the blue circles in the diagram right).

Then the 'Cone' (red and green) evolves from the star.

The square is constructed from the Cone as above, with the circles drawn. The cone below shows the two instrumental circles. The rest of the image is then based on this layout (cone & square).

Since such matching of systems cannot be accidental, it works as a stamp of authenticity under authority of a mysterious prehistoric advanced civilization. Let us call it the Seal of Atlantis..

The Monkey stands between the top branches of a giant X shape (the Big X). In the test, the two lines of the Big X (a,b) had to show a rather precise angle of 36 degrees.

I drew a straight line through line 'a' of the X, and got a beautiful match. One line disappears under the other. Then I rotated this new line 36 degrees about the X-Point towards the shorter line 'b', and the two lines merged into one (the rotated line shows in red through the black line "b").

The X matches the 36 degree angle to the imperceptible two one-hundredths of a degree.

X-Star-2 is a mirror image of the first star, as seen through the X-point. X-Star-3, is a mirror image of X-Star-2. But, if we dropped this star onto the Big X from above, it would slide to the same position as well. This X-Star-3 casts itself upon the monkey's figure so well that it is named the 'Monkey Star'.

The bigger star made from the Monkey Star obviously has a good fit to the end of line 'a'. In fact, if we reshaped the round bend at the top of line 'a' into a sharp corner, odds are that the star's end would coincide with the line's end with utter visual precision.

The above diagram shows two overlapping sets of stars, but it looks as if there is only one set because the two sets are nearly identical. Each set comprises one small and one large star emanating from the X-point.

a) The larger red set bases upon the length 'X - ac' of the X-Star1.
b) The slightly smaller blue pair of stars derives from the distance 'X - ar', the most distant point found on 'a' by a ray sweeping around the X-Point. Although created independently of each other, there is some visible separation between the two only at a considerable distance above the X-point, and none below it on the shorter section. A thing to consider here is that if the curve above the X-ar point should be refolded into a sharp corner, the two sets might actually be identical.

Each of these points suggests a similar size for our experimental 5-pointed star, the X-Star. This is just more confirmation that we are doing something right.

The diagram right side, shows eight of these points (point 1 to 5, and 8 to 10). Points 6 and 7 demonstrate more symmetry through the X-Point.

The Second Inverse Cone
Geometrically, the Big X represents an inverse cone. Another important big X is formed by the line 'c' at 60 degrees to the line '1' (diagram below). Altogether 'c' holds 60 degrees with half of the sixteen parallel lines of the grill shape. This second big X in the image also invokes a regular figure - the equilateral triangle.

Finally, the monkey's spiral tail also fits the star grid lines. Overall, this is a great balancing act on two feet. Facing towards the Pacific, the monkey appears focused on its hands, which are close together, as if doing something with both hands using the 'precision grip'. I can imagine the monkey playing bagpipes, or hiding behind a round shield ( the Monkey Star's circum-circle), walking a treadmill-wheel, dowsing, catching a football, etc. In another impression, the Monkey ensconced in its winged star, soars high above the Nasca desert.

The Wheel of Five Tumbling Monkeys

This is another obviously successful experiment. The figure was arrayed five times around the Monkey Star's center. It joins the 'chain of ten monkeys' in the gallery of fully functional five-fold arrays, one for each main point so far. How noteworthy, two wild stabs in the dark produced two big strikes - intrinsic art on a high level of participation by the explorer. The fact assails the idea of this art being due to wild luck.