Scientists have discovered over 140 new geoglyphs known as Nazca lines: a mysterious, ancient cluster of giant figures etched long ago into the desert terrain of southern Peru.

These massive, sprawling representations of humans, animals, and objects date back in some cases 2,500 years, and are so large, many of them can only be identified from the air.

Now archaeologists from Japan's Yamagata University report that a long-term research effort conducted since 2004 has uncovered 143 previously unknown Nazca geoglyphs – with one carved figure, which had eluded human detection, being discovered by artificial intelligence.

In all, the newly identified geoglyphs are thought to have been created between at least 100 BCE and 300 CE. While the purpose of these large motifs drawn by the ancient Nazca culture remains debated, we do at least know how they were constructed.

"All of these figures were created by removing the black stones that cover the land, thereby exposing the white sand beneath," the research team explains.

Previous hypotheses have suggested the Nazca society shaped the giant geoglyphs – some measuring hundreds of metres long – to be seen by deities in the sky, or that they may serve astronomical purposes.