Why did the Inca build terraces on steep mountainsides for agriculture purposes?
The Inca civilization, known for their advanced agricultural practices, built terraces on steep mountainsides primarily for agricultural purposes. These terraces, called "andenes," were constructed by leveling the slopes through the use of retaining walls made of stone.
To understand the reason behind this, one must consider the characteristics of the Andean region where the Inca Empire flourished. The mountains in this region have rugged terrain, featuring steep slopes and limited flat land suitable for agriculture. Therefore, the Inca people devised terracing systems to maximize their agricultural potential. Here's an explanation of the reasons behind the construction of these terraces:
1. Soil Conservation: Steep slopes are prone to erosion. By building terraces, the Inca created flat surfaces that prevented rainwater from washing away the topsoil. The retaining walls held the soil in place and protected it from erosion, ensuring its fertility for cultivation.
2. Water Management: Terraces allowed the Inca to control water distribution efficiently. They built intricate irrigation systems that channeled water down the terraces, ensuring adequate moisture for crops. The terraces acted as steps, allowing water to flow slowly through each level, minimizing runoff and preventing water scarcity or flooding.
3. Temperature Regulation: By building terraces on different elevations, the Inca could take advantage of microclimates. The varied altitudes allowed them to grow a diverse range of crops, each suited to specific temperature and humidity conditions.
4. Expansion of Arable Land: The construction of terraces effectively expanded the available land for cultivation. By utilizing the vertical space on mountainsides, the Inca created more agricultural areas, increasing their capacity to grow crops and support their population.
It is fascinating to see how the Inca people used their ingenuity and expertise to overcome the challenges posed by the rugged landscape, transforming mountainsides into productive agricultural areas through the construction of terraces.
The Inca built terraces on steep mountainsides for agriculture purposes due to several advantages they offered:
1. Soil Conservation: The terraces prevented soil erosion on the steep slopes. By constructing these stepped platforms, the Incas created flat areas that reduced the speed of water runoff, allowing the soil to retain moisture and nutrients, preventing erosion.
2. Maximizing Arable Land: The terraces increased the amount of usable farmland in a mountainous region where flat land was limited. The Incas took advantage of every available space, transforming the mountain slopes into productive agricultural fields.
3. Microclimates: Each terrace created a miniature microclimate with different temperatures and humidity levels. By utilizing terraces, the Incas could cultivate a variety of crops at different elevations, creating optimal growing conditions for a wide range of plants.
4. Water Management: The terraces were designed with irrigation canals connecting different levels. This allowed the Incas to efficiently distribute water across the terraces, ensuring all crops received the necessary amount of moisture for growth, particularly during dry seasons.
5. High Altitude Farming: The terraces enabled the Incas to cultivate crops at high altitudes, where the climate was typically not favorable for agriculture. By capitalizing on the terraces' microclimates and effective water management, they could grow crops such as maize, potatoes, quinoa, and other staple foods.
Overall, the construction of terraces served the Incas' agricultural needs by preventing soil erosion, maximizing arable land, creating microclimates, managing water resources, and enabling farming at high altitudes.