Salta's archeology is a cultural treasure that reveals the historical and cultural richness of the region. The archaeological sites, cave paintings, petroglyphs and museums are silent witnesses of the ancient civilizations that inhabited the area and invite us to explore and understand our ancestral past. Salta thus becomes a fascinating destination for lovers of archeology and history.

Qhapaq Ñan means “main road (ñan) (qhapaq)” in the Quechua language and refers to the pre-Hispanic Andean road that came to cover nearly 6000 km in a north-south direction. It reached its maximum extension in the Inca period, which is why it is often referred to as the Camino del Inca.

The Qhapaq Ñan Project began in 2002 through an instance of integration between the countries of Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. Its main objective is to investigate, recognize the patrimonial value and preserve the Qhapaq Ñan through the joint work of the National and Provincial States and local Communities. This Project promoted its inclusion in the Unesco World Heritage List.
Along the Andean mountain range, from Ecuador to distant Mendoza, crossing the wildest and most varied landscapes, saving abysmal fords, crossing swamps, lakes, deserts, high peaks and dense jungles, a network of roads of at least 23,000 kilometers long.

The Qhapaq ñan or Inka ñan (Inca trail) was actually much more than a simple road that linked the different geographies and ecosystems of Tahuantinsuyu, it represented the symbolic presence of the power and authority of the Inca State, whose use was exclusive to its members, There is a rigorous control through observation and surveillance posts distributed equidistantly and visually connected to each other. In addition, the Tampus or Tambos that were the lodgings for the Inca or travelers on an official mission, as well as types of warehouses where food, firewood, fodder, clothing, weapons and many other products necessary for the Incan Empire and its system of state control.

The Inca roads were erected for a practical purpose based on the foot traffic of men (including the well-known chasquis or messengers) and animals, that is, llamas, which with their capacity to transport between 30 and 40 kg on their backs , were widely used for the transfer of minerals and products of all kinds between different regions of the empire.

Despite the thousands of kilometers in which these archaeological paths are interwoven, there are constructive similarities that make them characteristic and unique. Where the terrain was flattened, they traced a perfect straight line, sometimes several kilometers long, as in the case of the Tin Tin straight line, the current vehicular route of the Calchaquí Valleys that was once a pre-Columbian road; Another distinctive element was to join two points or localities using the shortest possible distance, without forgetting or ignoring the availability of water and the slightest inclination of the terrain. The different techniques applied to the construction of these roads were highly adapted to travelers, whose objective was aimed at reducing physical effort and wear and tear to a minimum.

Although other cultures such as the Mochicas or Tiahuanacos already had road systems, it was the Incas who improved and adapted what existed, built the same where necessary and strengthened the entire road network with an amazing state geopolitical and logistical sense, a fact that never ceases to amaze us. and cause admiration.

Main Road in Salta

In the Calchaquíes Valleys there are important archaeological sites: the granaries of La Poma, Potrero de Payogasta and in the Puna de los Andes region there is Santa Rosa de Tastil and the Ceremonial Complex of the Llullaillaco Volcano.

Llullaillaco Volcano Photo: Courtesy Francisco Siciliano