The Inca Road System The Inca empire is considered by many to be the most successful empire in the history of South America. They were a people who built an empire along the west coast of South America. It flourished for about a hundred years through some of the 13th and 14th centuries until the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro conquered them. One way that they were able to progress to such an extent is through their long and advanced road system, which itself flourished in many ways. It aided in connecting the empire and allowed it to progress far in a relatively short time. The road system thrived because of its vast length, sustainability and efficiency, messaging and rest systems, and the bridges used to cross otherwise untraversable
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One way that the Inca were able to sustain them was through the varying designs. William H. Isbell states, “The hallmark of Inca roads was functional solutions to environmental challenges, and there was no standard width, surfacing material, construction technique, or other technical feature” (Isbell n.p.). The roads were built upon different foundations. If the land was already stable, there was not a need for an elaborate foundation. However, if the roads were being built upon a marsh or location with heavy rainfall, a strong foundation was laid out using stones. When building upon steep hills or mountains, steps were often incorporated to facilitate the journey. Walls were also put up, and for two reasons. The first is that they protected travelers from landslides, which often occurred if they were crossing through a valley, and the second being that the walls protected crops from travelers who would have otherwise been tempted to steal. Drainage ditches were also incorporated in areas with large amounts of rainfall to prevent the roads from flooding and being impassable. The roads were also made more efficient by varying the widths of the roads. In dense areas near cities where many people traversed, the roads were made as wide as 33 feet. In desolate areas away from cities or towns where the roads did not need to be wide, the length of the path would be as narrow as three feet. The average width of road was …show more content…
The features, which were far beyond their years, contributed to the government’s ability to easily connect with all subjects of the empire. Along with the Roman road system, many people consider the Inca road system to be one of the most successful road systems ever.
Works Cited
Cartwright, Mark. "Inca Civilization." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 15 Sept. 2014.
Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
Clough, Wayne G. "From the Castle." Smithsonian Magazine 44.9 (2014): 8. EBSCOhost.
Web. 27 Apr. 2017.
Isbell, William H. Inca Civilization: Inca Roads. The Oxford Companion to Archaeology.
1st ed. N.p.: Oxford UP, n.d. N. pag. Oxford Reference. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
Johnson, R.W. “The Irony of the Capac Nan.” Social Studies 83.1 (1992): 21. EBSCOhost.
Web. 26 Apr. 2017.
Sancho, Pedro. An Account of the Conquest of Peru. Trans. Philip Ainsworth Means. N.p.: n.p.,
n.d. Project. Gutenberg, 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.
Scarre, Chris. Land Transportation: Roads and Tracks. The Oxford Companion to
Archaeology. 1st ed. N.p.: Oxford UP, 1996. N. pag. Oxford Reference. Web. 25 Apr.
One way that the Inca were able to sustain them was through the varying designs. William H. Isbell states, “The hallmark of Inca roads was functional solutions to environmental challenges, and there was no standard width, surfacing material, construction technique, or other technical feature” (Isbell n.p.). The roads were built upon different foundations. If the land was already stable, there was not a need for an elaborate foundation. However, if the roads were being built upon a marsh or location with heavy rainfall, a strong foundation was laid out using stones. When building upon steep hills or mountains, steps were often incorporated to facilitate the journey. Walls were also put up, and for two reasons. The first is that they protected travelers from landslides, which often occurred if they were crossing through a valley, and the second being that the walls protected crops from travelers who would have otherwise been tempted to steal. Drainage ditches were also incorporated in areas with large amounts of rainfall to prevent the roads from flooding and being impassable. The roads were also made more efficient by varying the widths of the roads. In dense areas near cities where many people traversed, the roads were made as wide as 33 feet. In desolate areas away from cities or towns where the roads did not need to be wide, the length of the path would be as narrow as three feet. The average width of road was …show more content…
The features, which were far beyond their years, contributed to the government’s ability to easily connect with all subjects of the empire. Along with the Roman road system, many people consider the Inca road system to be one of the most successful road systems ever.
Works Cited
Cartwright, Mark. "Inca Civilization." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 15 Sept. 2014.
Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
Clough, Wayne G. "From the Castle." Smithsonian Magazine 44.9 (2014): 8. EBSCOhost.
Web. 27 Apr. 2017.
Isbell, William H. Inca Civilization: Inca Roads. The Oxford Companion to Archaeology.
1st ed. N.p.: Oxford UP, n.d. N. pag. Oxford Reference. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
Johnson, R.W. “The Irony of the Capac Nan.” Social Studies 83.1 (1992): 21. EBSCOhost.
Web. 26 Apr. 2017.
Sancho, Pedro. An Account of the Conquest of Peru. Trans. Philip Ainsworth Means. N.p.: n.p.,
n.d. Project. Gutenberg, 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.
Scarre, Chris. Land Transportation: Roads and Tracks. The Oxford Companion to
Archaeology. 1st ed. N.p.: Oxford UP, 1996. N. pag. Oxford Reference. Web. 25 Apr.