Evaluación Crítica de la Eficacia del Camino de Menor Coste para el Estudio Predictivo del Qhapaq Ñan

A critical evaluation of the least-cost path (LCP) method reveals its limitations for studying the Qhapaq Ñan, the vast 60,000 km Inca road system spanning the Americas. While LCP analysis is widely used in archaeology to predict route selection based on cost factors like terrain and resources, this study found it inadequately captures the complex human experience embedded in these pathways. Researchers analyzed four key segments of Qhapaq Ñan in Argentina's Prepuna and Puna regions, where the roads served both practical and symbolic functions during the Inca occupation. The findings suggest that predictive models should adopt a more holistic approach, integrating cultural, economic, and environmental dimensions to better reflect the nuanced relationship between the Incas and their landscape.

Mignone, P. (2020). EVALUACIÓN CRÍTICA DE LA EFICACIA DEL CAMINO DE MENOR COSTE PARA EL ESTUDIO PREDICTIVO DEL QHAPAQ ÑAN. Chungará (Arica), (ahead), 0. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0717-73562020005002201