A network of stone-lined underground channels and spiral-shaped access shafts built by the Nazca people to bring water from the Andes to their desert settlements. The aqueducts — known locally as puquios — are located about 3 km east of Nazca town and are still in use for irrigation. There are 36 puquios in the Nazca drainage system; the ones at Cantalloc are the most accessible.
The spiral openings in the desert floor are striking from ground level and can be appreciated without a tour. The channels descend gradually from the mountains, tapping the water table and directing it through underground tunnels to avoid evaporation. Walking among the spirals gives a clearer sense of Nazca engineering than almost anything in the Antonini Museum.