Caxas, Archaeological site in Piura department, Peru
Caxas is an archaeological site in the Piura region containing remnants of Inca-era structures including terraced fields and pit formations arranged across sloped land. These constructions reveal how people engineered solutions to grow crops in steep mountain areas.
The site developed during the Inca Empire as communities faced the challenge of farming on difficult mountain slopes in the region. Local people created these pit and terrace systems gradually to make the most of water and ensure reliable harvests.
The site reveals how Inca communities adapted their farming to steep terrain using water management and terraced systems they built by hand. The arrangement of these landscapes shows the engineering knowledge people needed to survive in mountainous regions.
The site sits on sloped terrain, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water for your visit. The best time to explore is during drier months when pathways are easier to navigate without rain.
The pit formations here differ notably from other Inca sites and show an experimental approach to farming using water storage methods. This technique likely helped communities survive the dry periods common in this part of Peru.
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