Description
It was not only in the area around Cusco that the Incas made intensive use of the steep slopes for terraced farming (andenes) to secure food supplies for the surrounding settlements. These are stepped, flat terraces dug into the ground on steep mountain slopes and supported by stone walls, which thus prevent soil erosion during heavy rain. The stones of the walls store heat during the day and release it to the plants at night (protection against frost). – This photograph was taken south of Cusco on the road between Checacupe and Urcos, on the upper reaches of the Vilcanota River, which flows downstream to join the Urubamba River. Peru – 1976
