Inca Terrace Agriculture

Timeline

1. c. -1000–1200Andean hillsides of south-central Peru · Andes MountainsCivilizations such as Chavín, Moche, and Wari had already built stone terraces on hillsides; the Inca inherited and systematized this agricultural technique adapted to high-altitude environments.
2. 1401–1410Cuzco Valley (Sacred Valley) · UrubambaAround 1401–1410, as the capital's population grew and the kingdom expanded, terrace belts in the valleys around Cuzco continued to spread, using stone walls to hold soil and planting potatoes and maize in tiers to feed the court and the army.
3. c. 1450–1532Andean provinces of the Inca Empire · Inca EmpireAt the empire's height, terrace techniques were promoted in conquered provinces, with construction and maintenance organized through mit'a labor service; large-scale terrace archaeological landscapes survive at sites such as Machu Picchu, supporting the empire's food security.
4. 1533Andean communities in Peru · Andes MountainsAfter the conquest, many Inca terraces were converted to colonial estates or abandoned; some communities continued traditional cultivation, and contemporary archaeological and ecological research has reassessed their value for soil and water conservation and microclimate regulation.