Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

Cultures > Center > Aconcagua

Economy

The economy of the Aconcagua groups was based on agriculture, with clear-cutting carried out to enable crops such as maize, quinoa, beans and squash to be grown. They also gathered wild plants, especially the fruit of the algarrobo tree, which was an important part of their diet. Hunting provided animal products, as livestock raising was not introduced until Inka times. On the coast the people made use of marine resources, especially shellfish, which were to lands further inland.