Archeologists working in the region of Peru famous for the Nazca Lines etchings in the hillsides uncovered a previously unknown 2,000 year old, 40-yard long drawing of a cat, the New York Times reported.
Called geoglyphs, the etchings mainly consist of straight lines across barren areas, but there are more than 70 drawings of animals and plants in hillsides. The geoglyphs were formed by humans plowing a line into the ground, revealing lighter layers of soil underneath.
This etching, of a cat apparently reclining or lying down, is suspected of being one of the oldest geoglyphs in the region. The drawing was uncovered by UNESCO Heritage Site workers who noticed a slight discoloration of topsoil and started sweeping the soil away. They soon realized it was a previously-unfound drawing.
While the purpose of the geoglyphs are a mystery, they are believed to have been travel markers for people traveling between various settlements during the peak of the Nazca culture, which occurred between 100 BCE and 800 AD. Some lines were simply directional markers, while others are thought to designate areas where water or food could be found.