The andenes are artificial agricultural terraces that served to create useful land for crops on the steep Andean hillsides. They allowed the Incas to take greater advantage of the water available from rain and irrigation, making it circulate along channels that connected their diverse levels, while at the same time avoiding soil erosion. The andenes were not only used for corn crops, but also for growing other agricultural products. They also served a number of other purposes including preventing the washing of mineral salts from the soil. Although their construction required the mobilisation of large workforces, the Inca state could meet this demand with relative ease.
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