INCA

ROAD SYSTEM

The Inca road system was extremely vast and included more than 14,000 miles of road. Parts of the system were already in place before the Inca, however they greatly expanded it. The creation of roads was vital to the functionality of their society, because of the difficult and varying terrain throughout the empire. Since there were no cars or horses, the roads were not paved, as all travelling would have been on foot. However, some areas were laid with flat stones to provide more stable footing. There were two main roads that essentially spanned the entire length of the empire, with many smaller roads branching off. Along with the roads, there were also bridges in order to make crossing rivers and ravines feasible. The road system had many uses, some being oral communication of messages, transportation of people and goods, trade, military conquests and religious purposes such as gaining access to ceremonial sites. The building and planning of the Inca road system would have taken a lot of time, organization and unity, however all the hard work provided the Inca with a system that allowed them to have a very successful and stable society.