Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest support for an archaeologist’s conclusion that a particular stretch of ancient stone-paved road was part of the Inca road system?
A) When the Inca conquered the area, they took some of the existing roads into their road system and then greatly extended the road system.
B) The particular stretch of road is oriented north and south, the orientation that many of the major roads in the Inca system had because of the north-south orientation of the Andes chain.
C) Shards of eleventh-century pottery from a distant part of what later became the Inca empire were found next to the stretch of road.
D) The stretch of road is the only ancient road between two places that were listed consecutively in a sixteenth-century list of way stations on the Inca road system.
C) seems like the best answer. The shards of pottery provide collaborating evidence.
To determine which statement provides the strongest support for the conclusion that a particular stretch of ancient stone-paved road was part of the Inca road system, we need to assess the relevance and strength of each statement.
A) When the Inca conquered the area, they took some of the existing roads into their road system and then greatly extended the road system.
This statement suggests that the Inca incorporated existing roads into their road system and expanded it. While this information is relevant, it does not specifically support the conclusion that the particular stretch of road under examination is part of the Inca road system.
B) The particular stretch of road is oriented north and south, the orientation that many of the major roads in the Inca system had because of the north-south orientation of the Andes chain.
This statement indicates that the orientation of the road aligns with the typical north-south orientation of major roads in the Inca system. It provides direct evidence linking the stretch of road to the Inca road system, making it a strong contender for the correct answer.
C) Shards of eleventh-century pottery from a distant part of what later became the Inca empire were found next to the stretch of road.
This statement provides evidence of pottery from a region that eventually became part of the Inca empire. While the pottery's age is relevant, its distant origin does not directly establish a connection to the Inca road system.
D) The stretch of road is the only ancient road between two places that were listed consecutively in a sixteenth-century list of way stations on the Inca road system.
This statement highlights the unique nature of the road being the only ancient route between two places listed consecutively in a sixteenth-century list of Inca road system way stations. This information establishes a strong connection to the Inca road system and is a strong contender for the correct answer.
Based on the analysis, the strongest support for the conclusion that a particular stretch of ancient stone-paved road was part of the Inca road system would be option D.