The Nasca region of Peru is best known for the lines (geoglyphs) that were created on the desert floor. While the geoglyphs were an integral part of the Nasca Culture (AD 100-650) this ancient society was just one of many that made Nasca their home. During the several thousand years of occupation the region saw many transformations including the development of regionally integrated complex societies, imperial conquest by the highland Wari, collapse and abandonment, resettlement of the region possibly by highlanders, and imperial conquest once again by the Inca. Many factors were involved in these shifts, and included the organization of kinship groups, subsistence strategies, influxes of immigrants and new ideas, religious movements, climate change, trade and social networks, and external imperial policies. This talk will explore these issues and the implications for broader patterns of change in the Andean region.