Inca Inventions
Roads
The Incas created a massive network of roads to connect their cities. At its peak, the Incan highway system covered nearly 14,000 miles. Roads ranged from simple dirt paths to smooth paved stone. The roads were used to simplify business and militarily proceedings as well as work as a line of communication between large cities. Messengers known as "chasqui" were positioned at intervals along the highways and relayed messages and small packages across the empire.
The ancient, beautifully paved Inca roads are used to this day throughout Peru. The Inca roads made of perfectly cut valuable stone are one of the many things that makes Peru such a beautiful country.
Terrace Farming
The Incas lived in the steep hills of the Andes, and their farmers lacked level grounds to support their crops. To remedy this problem the people constructed a massive series of terraces throughout the empire, creating adequate farmland. The terraces were built in three steps. The first was to create a stone wall to hold up and level the land. The stones also worked to retain heat that radiated out at night and kept the crops from freezing. The second step was to lay a base of gravel within the stones and lastly to add a layer of topsoil.
To this day terrace farming is used in Peru. Not only does the invention help the locals provide for themselves but the stone steps up the mountainsides make beautiful scenery.
Freeze Drying
The high altitudes of the Incan villages led to freezing temperatures at night. The people used the cold to their advantage by laying out potatoes under a cloth and letting them freeze. In the morning the people would walk on the cloth to remove any moisture from the potatoes. The result was a freeze dried, lightweight food, known as chuño that required no curing and lasted for years. Incas could carry large quantities of chuño without adding weight to their load and could stockpile the food in case of failed farming seasons.
The invention of freeze drying still plays a big part in the lives of many Peruvians today. It is a method still used to feed families and earn money.
By Ella Smith
Roads
The Incas created a massive network of roads to connect their cities. At its peak, the Incan highway system covered nearly 14,000 miles. Roads ranged from simple dirt paths to smooth paved stone. The roads were used to simplify business and militarily proceedings as well as work as a line of communication between large cities. Messengers known as "chasqui" were positioned at intervals along the highways and relayed messages and small packages across the empire.
The ancient, beautifully paved Inca roads are used to this day throughout Peru. The Inca roads made of perfectly cut valuable stone are one of the many things that makes Peru such a beautiful country.
Terrace Farming
The Incas lived in the steep hills of the Andes, and their farmers lacked level grounds to support their crops. To remedy this problem the people constructed a massive series of terraces throughout the empire, creating adequate farmland. The terraces were built in three steps. The first was to create a stone wall to hold up and level the land. The stones also worked to retain heat that radiated out at night and kept the crops from freezing. The second step was to lay a base of gravel within the stones and lastly to add a layer of topsoil.
To this day terrace farming is used in Peru. Not only does the invention help the locals provide for themselves but the stone steps up the mountainsides make beautiful scenery.
Freeze Drying
The high altitudes of the Incan villages led to freezing temperatures at night. The people used the cold to their advantage by laying out potatoes under a cloth and letting them freeze. In the morning the people would walk on the cloth to remove any moisture from the potatoes. The result was a freeze dried, lightweight food, known as chuño that required no curing and lasted for years. Incas could carry large quantities of chuño without adding weight to their load and could stockpile the food in case of failed farming seasons.
The invention of freeze drying still plays a big part in the lives of many Peruvians today. It is a method still used to feed families and earn money.
By Ella Smith