山形大学ナスカ研究所は4月19日、ペルーの世界遺産「ナスカの地上絵」で、謎の動物の絵が見つかったと発表した。胴体には斑点のような模様があり、足のような突起が8本あるのが特徴だ。
全長約30m。地表の小石を取り除いた白い面と、小石を積み上げた黒い面のツートンカラーになっている技法で描かれている。このことから、有名な「ハチドリ」の地上絵が描かれたナスカ期以前のパラカス後期（紀元前400年〜同200年ごろ）のものと推定されている。
毎日新聞によると、坂井正人教授（文化人類学）らがナスカ市郊外で土器の調査中に偶然見つけたという。
地上絵の写真と想像復元図
山形大学の発表によると、写真や想像復元図は以下の通り。
写真
線画
想像復元図
■謎の動物の正体は？ ハフポスト編集部が大胆予測
今回の地上絵は想像復元図を見ても、何が描かれているのかよく分からないのが特徴だ。ナスカ研究所では、この地上絵について「舌を伸ばした動物」と呼んでおり、「現実の動物を写実的に描いたのではなく、空想上の動物が描かれたと考えられます」と述べている。
しかし、足が八本がある生き物というと、タコが思い浮かぶ。毎日新聞科学部の阿部周一記者も以下のようにつぶやいている。
もし、地上絵の右側部分がタコだとすると、左側はネコのような姿にも見える。フリー素材集「いらすとや」の画像で再現してみた。
想像復元図（山形大学の発表より）
ハフポスト編集部による予想図（イメージです）
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