María Reiche Grosse Neumann

Archeologist and German scientist, born in 1903. Arrived to Peru in 1940 and was devoted to the study of the mysterious Nazca Lines since 1948, on which she established the theory of them being a great astronomical calendar and a series of observatories of astronomical cycles.

María Reiche regrettably on June 8, 1998, in the city of Lima, with the eternal gratitude of the Peruvian town.
 
María was buried in Nazca, with Honors of Minister of State.  She was previously honored by the Peruvian Prime Minister with the Medal to the Merit in the Degree of Great Cross.

She wrote and published about her scientific studies, being at the present time one of the biggest authorities in the matter.

Her invaluable work, made with love and dedication, allowed the Nazca Lines to be declared "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO.

Promoter of the Nazca pre-Inca culture in the national and international environment; her investigation work was made with perseverance and scarce government support, sacrificing her own means.

She received in life numerous honors and acknowledgement, especially from the town of Nazca that named her "Nazca's Favorite Daughter". In 1992, the Government of Peru granted her the Peruvian nationality in recognition to her work carried out through 50 years. In 1993 she was honored by the Government with the "Orden del Sol" in the degree of Great Cross.

The place in which she lived has been established as a site museum, in which her instruments and notebooks filled with her investigation notes are shown. Maria Reiche lived humbly.