Maria Reiche Grosse-Neumann (15 May 1903 – 8 June 1998)[1] was a German-born Peruvian mathematician, archaeologist, and technical translator.

She received recognition as Doctor Honoris Causa by the National University of San Marcos and the Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in Lima.

Reiche helped gain national and international attention for the Nazca Lines; Peru established protection, and they were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

In 1940, Reiche became an assistant to Paul Kosok, an American historian from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York, who was studying ancient irrigation systems in Peru.

[2] In June 1941 Kosok noticed lines in the desert that converged at the point of the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.

[10] Around 1946, Reiche began to map the figures represented by the Nazca Lines and determined there were 18 different kinds of animals and birds.

She believed that the large drawing of a giant monkey represented the constellation now called Ursa Major (Great Bear).

Some researchers believe that the lines were made as part of worship and religious ceremonies related to the "calling of water from the gods.

"[11] Reiche used the profits from the book to campaign for preservation of the Nazca desert and to hire guards for the property and assistants for her work.

[10] In 1977, Reiche became a founding member of South American Explorers, a non-profit travel, scientific and educational organization.

[13] Reiche's best friend was Amy Meredith, who not only was the first person to fund her work, but also played a key role in Maria's interest in the Nazca lines, since she ran a Café — called the "Tearoom" — where many intellectuals gathered, including Julio C. Tello and Paul Kosok.