Inca masonry didn't appear from nowhere! It built on 2,000+ years of Andean stoneworking, from early cultures through Wari and Tiwanaku. Each culture refined techniques the Inca later mastered.
Key facts:
- Caral (2600 BCE) in the Supe Valley shows early monumental architecture, though primarily in adobe; true stone masonry developed in later Andean cultures
- Chavín de Huántar flourished 900 BCE–200 BCE featuring the 4.5m tall Lanzón stela carved from solid granite
- Wari Empire (~600 CE) introduced finely cut stone and ashlar masonry at their capital
- Tiwanaku refined polygonal ashlars with 90-degree corners and carved decorations
- Inca drew inspiration from both Wari and Tiwanaku traditions separated by centuries