Islands in the Sky - How the Inca Farmed the Impossible

The Andes: Some of the tallest, starkest mountains in the world. Deserts, tundra, rainforest and more all crammed together in an unpredictable and unforgiving mosaic. Yet somehow, this was a land home to some of the largest and oldest civilizations in the Americas, including the Inca, Nazca, Moche, Wari, and many others.

How did they do this? Let's take a look at some of the impressive engineering, planning, and interesting social systems they developed to cope with the harsh conditions in the mountainous terrain.

Sections:
00:00 Intro
01:50 The Coast
05:17 Puquios
08:20 Montaña Zone
10:56 Terraces
13:28 Quechua Zone
18:04 Terraces in the Highlands
20:29 Suni Zone
22:05 Qollqas/Colcas
27:06 Puna Zone
22:57 Camellones/Waru-Waru
34:39 Islands in the Sky/Vertical Archipelagoes

Sound:
Canyon Quena: CarlosCarty, Freesound, CC-BY 4.0
Noise in Suni Zone: VMan533, Freesound, CC-BY 4.0

Map of Inca Empire made using data from "Tawantinsuyo & Qhapac Ñan", gabrielaore, ArcGIS.com, CC-BY 4.0 International

El Niño Map: Iselin Medhaug, snl.no, CC-BY SA 3.0
Chuño: Eric in SF, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 3.0
Kaniwa: Michael Hermann, www.cropsforthefuture.org, CC-BY 3.0
Maca: Cahe Martirosyan, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY 2.5 Generic
Achira Root (Canna Edulis): Fpalli, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 3.0
Olluco: Kristin Miranda, Flickr, CC-BY SA 2.0
Mashua in Bowl: Maria Cortez, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0
Bone Weaving-Tool: Walters Art Museum, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 3.0 Unported
Alpaca Poop: William Warby, Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
Coca Plant: Luis Pérez, Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
Taruca Deer: Jan Ebr and Ivana Ebrová, iNaturalist, CC-BY 4.0
Trogon personatus: Julien Renoult, iNaturalist, CC-BY 4.0
Blue Doctor Butterfly: Thomas Shahan, Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
Titicaca from Space: European Space Agency, Flickr, CC-BY SA 2.0
Pachamama and Pachatata Mountains: Jimmy Harris, Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
Tiwanaku Temple Ruins: Pavel Špindler, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY 3.0 Unported
Camellones:
© FAO / Alipio Canahua (5)
© FAO / David Boerma (1)
© FAO / Liana John (2)
Sillustani Camellones: Ghislaine Jutras, Flickr, used by permission (2)
Quinoa Harvest: © FAO / Liana John
Ancallachi Farm: © FAO / Jeremy Cornejo
Potato Fields Near Puno: © FAO / Liana John
Pampacorral Farm: © FAO / Jeremy Cornejo
Pumapunco Farm: © FAO / Jeremy Cornejo
Uyuni Field with Tractor: Michael Hermann, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0
Copacabana Fields: Filipe Fortes, Flickr, CC-BY SA 2.0
Raqchi: Ellywa, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0
Pinkuylluna Interior: Sodacan, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0 International
Tunanmarca: AgainErick, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 3.0 Unported
Waterloo1883, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0 International:
San José de Paucar, Distrito de Chavinillo (2), Distrito de Punchao (2), Distrito de Uco, Piruro, Río Puchka
River in Aguas Calientes: Rodolfo Edelmann, Flickr, CC-BY SA 2.0
Chan Chan Ruins: Tyler Bell, Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
Caral Supe: KyleThayer, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 3.0 Unported
Acueductos de Cantalloc: PsamatheM, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0 (7)
Cerro Torre: Videvo, www.videvo.net, CC-BY 3.0 Unported
Kuelap Ruins: JYB Devot, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0 International