The concept of the vertical economy was discussed in class and in the film. It discusses how it applies to the Incas. Since self-sufficiency was the ideal of the society, family units claimed parcels of land in different ecological niches in the rugged terrain. In this way, they achieved what anthropologists have called "vertical complementarily," that is, the ability to produce a wide variety of crops--such as maize, potatoes, and quinoa (a protein-rich grain)--at different altitudes for household consumption. …
