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Inca Dry-Stone Masonry

Type Object Region South America Time c. 1200

Inca dry-stone masonry is a highly precise mortarless stone construction technique in the Andes, in which craftsmen cut and polish granite and other …

Timeline

  1. c. 600–1200Andean region · AndesCivilizations such as Tiwanaku and Wari had already mastered large-scale stone carving and dry-stone techniques; the Inca inherited these and developed higher-precision polygonal interlocking workmanship.
  2. c. 1200–1420Cusco · Cusco RegionThe Inca established professional stonecutters (quarrymen) and labor organizations (mit'a), pre-fabricating blocks at quarries before transporting them to sites for assembly; masterpieces such as the twelve-angled stone display extremely high craftsmanship.
  3. 1421–1430Cusco and Sacsayhuamán · Cusco RegionIn the era of Viracocha dry-stone masonry continued to be used in the capital and fortresses; walls tilted inward to enhance earthquake resistance, and the joints of the boulders were so tight that a blade could hardly be inserted.
  4. 1438–1532Inca Empire architectural sites · AndesIn the era of Pachacuti, buildings such as Coricancha and Machu Picchu brought dry-stone masonry to its peak, and the technique spread with imperial expansion to Ecuador, Bolivia, and other places.

Sources