All about the ancient tribes
They cultivated on terraces, which were carved steps of land into the slope to accommodate their farming needs. One of the most significant items in their diet was potatoes, which they ate with quinoa (a kind of grain) and maize (corn). The Incas were skilled farmers who developed many of the techniques that are still in use today, including those for irrigating and fertilizing the soil.
The Incas relied heavily on llamas and alpacas as their primary source of meat and nourishment. The Inca army’s primary source of nutrition was dried fish. Additionally, popcorn was invented by the Incas. They utilized part of the labyrinth that they had leftover to create popcorn because they had an excess of it.
Fresh fish and fruits made up the majority of the diet of those who lived near the ocean, while those who lived in the Andes subsisted mostly on potatoes and corn. The Andes were home to the great bulk of the Inca population, who lived in areas where it was difficult, if not impossible, to cultivate food due to the mountainous terrain and subfreezing weather.
The Incas used guinea pigs as both a tamed animal and a food source, and this practice continues today over the entirety of Peru. The Incas consumed several different kinds of insects, including caterpillars, beetles, ants, and mayfly larvae.
In addition to vegetables like beans and squash, corn (sometimes spelled maize) served as the primary staple item in their diet. Potatoes and a very fine grain known as quinoa were two of the most prevalent crops cultivated by the Incas. In addition to a vast range of fruits, the Aztecs and Maya were known to choose avocados and tomatoes as their primary sources of nutrition.
Economic transactions were carried out through the use of the barter system, in which individuals traded with one another for items that they need. Archaeologists are under the impression that the Inca culture did not have a merchant caste. Despite this, there was some limited commercial interaction with tribes located outside of the empire, most of which were in the Amazon.
In order to increase the efficiency of agriculture, they carved large flat steps into the mountain slopes, resulting in agricultural terraces that were erected. In addition, they inherited a highly effective water management system. The Incas produced more food than they required, which was then saved for use in times of famine.
Incan agriculture was the culmination of farming and herding practices that had been carried out for thousands of years in the high-elevation Andes highlands of South America, as well as in the coastal deserts and the rainforests of the Amazon basin.
A wide variety of items, including meats, wool, skins, and feathers, were traded alongside foodstuffs. These items included pottery, fabric, and metal objects. Llamas were the most common type of pack animal used for transporting goods.
The Incas were able to build parts of the mountain that were suited for farming by carving flat planes into the rock. These regions are able to survive the challenges that are typical of mountain climates since they are surrounded by stone walls. The Incas were able to cultivate, and they also had domesticated types of plants that were better able to survive in severe environments.
As a result of the Incas’ successful establishment of one of the most wealthy centrally managed economies in the history of economics, social capital was afterwards developed. These ayllus were the foundation for the Inca Empire’s economic growth and wealth.
The Incas are credited with being the first people in recorded history to create ways for the process of freeze-drying food. Specifically, this involved taking advantage of the cold weather by covering potatoes with a towel and putting them out overnight. The Incas would come back the next day to stomp over the potatoes in order to extract any further moisture from them.
The Incans prepared almidón de papa by boiling, mashing, roasting, fermenting it in water to make a sticky substance called toqosh, and grinding it to a pulp before soaking it (potato starch). Soon after their introduction, potatoes from Peru were an essential part of the Incan diet, helping to keep both huge cities and Incan troops alive.
In addition to utilizing potatoes as a main crop, the Incas believed that they made childbirth simpler and that they could be used to cure ailments. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru in 1532 in pursuit of gold, they observed Inca miners eating chuuu, which is the Inca word for potato. This was their first interaction with the potato.
Although it is a member of the amaranth family and is therefore more closely related to spinach or turnips, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), which originates in South America, is sometimes referred to as the rice of the Incas. This is despite the fact that quinoa is a member of the amaranth family.
During the period of the Inca, the only alcoholic beverage that was available was called chicha. Chicha was primarily made from the fermentation of corn and was used during ceremonial, ritual, and convivial activities.
The term ″Incan aqueduct″ can refer to any one of a number of different aqueducts that were constructed by the Inca people. These kinds of constructions were created by the Inca in order to enhance the amount of land that could be farmed, as well as to supply the populace with drinking water and bathing facilities.