Incas engineered mountains into farms without modern tools

The ancient Incas, who built a vast empire from 1438 to 1533 AD, ingeniously transformed steep Andean mountainsides into productive farmland. They carved intricate agricultural terraces, called andenes, into the rugged terrain, supported by stone walls up to several meters high. This allowed them to grow crops like potatoes and maize in high-altitude regions, preventing erosion and maximizing sunlight.