Abstract

In the Altos de Arica, the pre-Andean, north to south route, is known as the Inca trail. Several authors have described sections of this road. However, its notability lies in its antiquity, prior to the Tawantinsuyo. The present study discusses the importance of the Inca trail in the pre-Andean areas of Arica, emphasizing the importance of the landscape in the context of the road system and its relation with other routes that crossed the desert and with settlements associated to this road network.