Why do scholars say the Wari were the original developers of terrace farming?
Scholars suggest that the Wari civilization was one of the original developers of terrace farming based on several pieces of evidence and theories:
1. Geographic and environmental factors: The Wari civilization emerged in the highlands of Peru, particularly in the region of the Ayacucho Valley, where the topography is characterized by steep slopes and mountains. The construction of extensive terraces allowed them to utilize these difficult terrains for agriculture. This adaptation to the local environment suggests that the Wari people were among the first to develop and extensively use terrace farming.
2. Archaeological evidence: Excavations at various Wari sites have revealed the presence of numerous terraces, irrigation canals, and agricultural infrastructure. These ancient terraces bear striking similarities to those used in later civilizations, such as the Inca. The presence of these structures, along with the absence of a significant predecessor civilization in the region, suggests that the Wari were the original developers of terrace farming.
3. Historical accounts and cultural continuity: Some historical accounts mention the Wari as expert agriculturalists, utilizing terrace farming extensively. Additionally, the subsequent Inca civilization, which flourished in the same region after the decline of the Wari, continued and expanded upon the terrace farming techniques developed by their predecessors. This cultural continuity and the absence of evidence for significant earlier civilizations in the region further support the idea that the Wari were the original developers of terrace farming.
4. Knowledge transmission and expansion: The Wari civilization had a vast network of roads and extensive trade routes, allowing them to spread their agricultural techniques to different regions. These regions, including parts of modern-day Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, eventually adopted and expanded upon terrace farming techniques, further reinforcing the idea that the Wari were the original developers.
Although the exact origins of terrace farming are challenging to determine definitively, the evidence surrounding the Wari civilization suggests they were one of the earliest civilizations to develop and extensively use this agricultural technique.