Blog For Free!
Archives
Home
2008 September
2008 July
2008 May
2007 September
2007 August
2007 June
2006 December
2006 November
2006 September
2006 July
2005 December
2005 September
2005 February
2004 December
2004 October
tBlog
My Profile
Send tMail
My tFriends
My Images
Sponsored
Blog
|
| Inca Rope bridge |
| 09.11.08 (7:16 pm) [edit] |
|
Inca Rope bridges were simple suspension bridges over canyons and gorges to present access for the Inca Empire. Bridges of this type were suitable for use since the Inca people did not use wheeled transport - traffic was incomplete to pedestrians and livestock. These bridges were an intrinsic part on the Inca road scheme and are an excellent example of Inca innovation in engineering. They were frequently used by Chasqui runners delivering messages throughout the Inca Empire.
The construction of these bridges amounted to a pair of stone anchors on each side of the canyon with immense cables of woven ichu grass linking these two pylons together. Adding to this construction, two additional cables acted as guardrails. The cables which supported the foot-path were unbreakable with plaited branches. This multi-structure system made these bridges strong enough to even carry the Spaniards while riding horses after they indoors. However, these massive bridges were so heavy that they tended to sag in the middle, and this caused them to bend in high winds.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
