MARIA REICHE, was born in the city of Dresden, Germany, 15 May 1903. She studied Mathematics, Geography, Physics, Pedagogy and Acheooastronomy in the TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE (HAMBURG). She arrived in Peru in 1932 to work as a teacher of the sons of the German Consul in Cusco. In 1934, her contract ended in Cusco, she decides to stay by making translations. In 1938, she worked at the National Museum where she meets July C. TELLO FATHER of PERUVIAN ARCHEOLOGY. She was his translator and collaborator for the conservation of funeral bundles discovered by DR. TELLO. In 1939, takes place the INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS where Dr. Paul Kosok took part, María Reiche helps as a translator. Kosok conducts tours in Nasca, then delegating the continuity of the work in the Pampa of Nasca to Mary. For over 50 years, Maria has conducted studies of measurement and interpretation in the Pampas of Nasca, discovering all the drawings and lines, maintaining and protecting the cultural heritage bequeathed by the ancient Peruvians. (Nasquences). Maria Reiche got the peruvian nationality granted by the Peruvian Government in recognition of the task performed. In April 1993, the College Romain Rolland has received a bust for the Dra. Reiche in tribute to his distinguished pupil. Dra. Reiche has even received the Order of the Sun in the degree of Grand Cross.
"Since at college I saw the Lake Titicaca on the map of Peru, in the first atlas that I had in my hands, the illusion of traveling in this great nation turned into dream that followed me during my childhood and my adolescence. This dream became a reality years later and I have spent over 50 years, especially in Nasca. When I came to Peru in 1932, I found hospitality, a great gift, incredible. When I took the first train to Cusco, I spent the entire journey on the platform, from beginning to end by seeing in the open these beautiful landscapes. This was the first gift given to me by Peru. Everything since then has followed up, my life was hard, because I had to fulfill my destiny. I myself, during all these years, completely devoted to the study of lines and figures in the Grand Panel of the Pampas of Nazca since, in 1938, I met in July C. TELLO, and I was a translator and collaborator in the conservation of funeral bundles discovered by Dr. Tello, and from 1941, Dr. Paul Kosok, for which I was also a translator, and who suggested me to study. Given my training in mathematics and the nature and function that I think have these drawings, I developed my studies and research from the perspective of this discipline. However, I find that something, it is important to mention it, is that in parallel, directly or indirectly, while I made my research, I learned a lot about the Andean culture, especially the nasquence, the past and the present. Know and evaluate it turns into a significant benefit for who claims to reveal the secret of the Pampas. People here are excellent observers of the earth and the firmament. And it is not only the history of this people, but also its indiosyncrasie and its philosophy of life, its anxieties and its limitations, its struggle against nature and its negative output, the harmony in its art and its dedication to science and engineering. I do not think it is possible to begin a serious study of figures and lines of the Pampas if one is not prepared for this experience, coupled with scientific expertise, which wakes up in the investigation of other interests and provide him with an undeniable advantage.

From the observation of these drawings, one can arrive at the most varied speculation. Indeed, it was so. I also believe that limiting the study to the archaeological aspect would be unnecessary to establish parameters to a document of the past that could give us a broader vision and different of the development of the important culture as Nasca and people of a highly intelligence in my opinion. One not knowing its special ability to dominate space and time would put us in the field of prejudice. The Nasca fitted in astronomy, could see the movements of celestial bodies and know exactly when to start seeds and when to harvest. The results and conclusions which I arrived were still based on observation, measurement and meticulous cataloging of all the lines and figures. I discover that all the lines fit my working hypothesis, but not escaping the rigidity rationally scientific but which in any event, contains a dose of intuition following the long and continuous coexistence with people of Nazca. And I think it could not be otherwise, as I said sometimes, even if we can have different opinions on the designs and their meaning, one thing is certain however, is that the existence of figures shows that the inhabitants of the Peruvian coast had reached a cultural level, a cultural unsuspected. The process of planning and converted from one scale to another requires a mind capable of forming abstract concepts and a faculty of reason which had to be found in at least part of the population and that one should not wait from a primitive people. We must leave aside for now the study of those elements which constitute the essence of primitive art, ie, totemism, religion and magic, rites and ceremonies. We must try to penetrate their minds and follow their struggle for perfection and the paths taken to get to it. I must say that these people with great intelligence and vision, studied the atmosphere and found a location that nature appears to have prepared to serve as a huge panel in which they could draw enormous drawings that so far have not been erased. The current climate variability in the area and disrupted tourism have resulted in many marks have been destroyed. Much remains to be done before the meaning of each mark to be explained and this will be impossible if the desert is damaged or destroyed.
 The surface is very fragile. Since my first visit in 1941 in Nasca, I requested protection for this historic desert. From 1945 to 1955, I fought to stop a single irrigation project areas of culture on the Pampas of Nasca. This cost me a lot of work and surprises, until I was listened by the Congress and, having fought against such ignorance, from my struggle alone and isolated, it is now my greater satisfaction than having the famous Pampas of Nasca known in the whole world and to bring more foreign currency in Peru. People who have lived here long ago have left a single document that I regard as an essential chapter in the development of the human spirit. There is no equal anywhere else in the world, that ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR, THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD. That is why I would like to send a message to the Peruvian, the past teaches us that it is also the future. We are currently in an imbalance and do not know if the world will end tomorrow or in a million years. Life is made up of politics and religion and between these two extremes, we must find a path that can be long and straight or sinuous. We try to create a world of justice, law and welfare for large masses, so that no one is deprived of his right to life and a good life. Everyone should have equal rights. I want to be an instrument to remove cultural inequities and learn to the Peruvians and foreigners NOT to squander what is the heritage of a nation and especially the legacy of an incomparable culture, because culture is a reflection of the idiosyncrasies of a people.

MARIA REICHE