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Inca Agricultural Terraces

Type Object Region South America Time c. -1000

Inca terraces (andenes) are a terraced farming system built in the Andes to suit steep terrain, using stone retaining walls, drainage channels, and m…

Timeline

  1. c. -1000–1200Andean highland valleys · AndesPre-Inca civilizations such as the Wari and Tiwanaku had already built stone terraces on hillslopes; the Inca inherited and improved their drainage and soil conservation techniques.
  2. c. 1300–1420Valleys around Cusco · Cusco RegionThe Inca state organized labor to build terraces, combining irrigation canals and fallow rotation to convert steep slopes into arable land, supporting the food needs of the capital and the army.
  3. 1421–1430Territory controlled by the Inca kingdom · AndesIn the era of Viracocha the terrace network already covered core valleys, achieving crop diversity through planting zones at different altitudes, providing logistical support for the imperial military expansion about to unfold.
  4. 1438–1532Territory of the Inca Empire · AndesAfter conquering new territories, the Inca spread terrace techniques from Ecuador to northern Chile; sites such as Machu Picchu show the combination of terraces with religious and astronomical layouts.

Sources