Crops Of The Inca Empire

The main crops from the Inca Empire were potatoes, coco leaves, and corn. 

Potatoes

Potatoes were grown all throughout the Empire. They were one of the few foods that were able to sustain such a large amount of people. They domesticated a plethora of varieties of potatoes that thrive in almost every climate. 

Coco Leaves

Coco leaves were grown for a multitude of reasons. The leaves provided adults with energy as they chewed while working; they also were used to relieve altitude sickness among other things. The Andean people used the leaves as an offering at holy sites. Coco leaves were controlled by the Inca Empire. Teams were assigned to tend to and harvest plants. Below is a small recreation of the coca plant along with a small Inca coca bag.

Corn
Corn was used for food, drinks, and offerings. Corn was grown in many different varieties and was offered to every newly conquered territory. It also led to the agricultural innovation of terraces on mountainsides.

(All photos were taken by me at the National Museum of the American Indian unless stated otherwise).