Trade and Travel: The Andes
A ten‑minute look at how roads, llama caravans, lake vessels and storehouses moved goods across the Andean world.
Chapters
- 0:07 Mountain Highways
- 0:58 Llama Caravans and Cargo
- 1:31 Highland Lake Trade
- 2:05 Agriculture, Tribute, and Redistribution
On-screen text
- 0:07 Mountain Highways
- 0:14 Mountain Highways
- 0:49 Wari roads formed early Andean network The Institute's interpretation · H. Isbell, "The Wari Road System" (2005)
- 0:58 Llama Caravans and Cargo
- 1:05 Llama Caravans and Cargo
- 1:22 Llama caravans moved textiles, maize, metal Historical record · Pedro Cieza de León, Crónica del Perú (1553)
- 1:31 Highland Lake Trade
- 1:38 Reed boats moved salt and fish on Titicaca Historical record · Pedro Cieza de León, Crónica del Perú (1553)
- 1:56 Mochica art shows copper‑cotton trade Historical record · Mochica ceramic vessel, Museo Larco, Lima (catalog 2010)
- 2:14 Food convoys fed distant garrisons Historical record · Garcilaso de la Vega, Comentarios Reales (1609)
Sources
Historical record: UNESCO World Heritage listing for Qhapaq Ñan · Inca stone bridge at Quesna, UNESCO (photo archive 2014) · Garcilaso de la Vega, Comentarios Reales (1609) · Pedro Cieza de León, Crónica del Perú (1553) · Khipu from the Cusco Museum of Inca Art (catalog 2018) · Archaeological report, Ollantaytambo storehouses (M. B. 2015) · Spanish chronicler, Relación de la conquista del Perú (1535) · Tiwanaku Spondylus shells, Museo Nacional de Bolivia (excavation 2002) · Mochica ceramic vessel, Museo Larco, Lima (catalog 2010) · Research by H. B. B., Machu Picchu terraces study (2012)
The Institute's interpretation: H. Isbell, "The Wari Road System" (2005) · A. Urton, "Inca Accounting" (2003)
Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 90 s of CPU.
Scenes Hathor has no parts for yet (23) — the next things to make
- Aerial view of stone‑paved Inca road winding over high mountain passes, with llamas walking.
- A rope‑suspended stone bridge over a misty canyon, traders crossing with packed goods.
- Wooden balsa raft loaded with logs navigating a wide river surrounded by jungle.
- Wooden balsa raft loaded with logs navigating a wide river surrounded by jungle.
- A quipu with colored strings being read by an Inca official beside a stone storage.
- A quipu with colored strings being read by an Inca official beside a stone storage.
- An Inca clerk tying knots on a quipu while llamas are loaded.
- An Inca clerk tying knots on a quipu while llamas are loaded.
- Stone‑built granaries stacked with bundles of dried potatoes and maize sacks.
- Stone‑built granaries stacked with bundles of dried potatoes and maize sacks.
- Highland Lake Trade: Illustrate lake‑based transport and long‑distance exchange of exotic items.
- Bright reed boats gliding on turquoise lake, loaded with barrels of salt.
- Workers harvesting salt crystals, with caravans loading wool bundles.
- Workers harvesting salt crystals, with caravans loading wool bundles.
- Close‑up of a polished orange Spondylus shell placed in a high‑status burial.
- Close‑up of a polished orange Spondylus shell placed in a high‑status burial.
- Stepped stone terraces with crops, a caravan resting nearby.
- Agriculture, Tribute, and Redistribution: Demonstrate how surplus production, tribute, and supply convoys sustained the empire.
- Stepped stone terraces with crops, a caravan resting nearby.
- Stepped stone terraces with crops, a caravan resting nearby.
- Inca officials receiving tribute baskets from regional leaders.
- Inca officials receiving tribute baskets from regional leaders.
- Stone building with thatched roof, travelers eating and animals tied.