Maria Reiche
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María Reiche (1903–1998) was a German‑born Peruvian mathematician and archaeologist renowned for her lifelong dedication to studying and preserving the Nazca Lines.
After arriving in Peru in the 1930s, she collaborated with historian Paul Kosok and soon became the leading expert on these vast geoglyphs. Known as the Lady of the Lines, she meticulously mapped, measured, and protected the figures, arguing they had astronomical significance. Reiche famously brushed the desert by hand, literally sweeping sand and stones away to reveal and protect the ancient figures.
Reiche lived for decades in the Nazca desert, advocating for conservation and global recognition. Her tireless work helped secure the Nazca Lines as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.