The alpaca: essential among the Incas, then exiled by colonization
This is the first of our three posts of our series history of alpacas
HISTORY AND STORIES OF ALPACA AND ITS WOOL
Rodolfo R.
11/1/20241 min read
The alpaca is a historical animal of the Tawantinsuyu, the today South American countries of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia.
The alpaca, together with its cousin the llama, were the main animals raised by the Andean populations during the pre-Hispanic era.
These two animals were especially appreciated for their meat, their wool, and for being the object of religious sacrifices.
The llama was also distinguished by its ability to carry heavy loads, while the alpaca was already identified by the quality of its fiber, recognized as “wool of the gods” and woven using ancestral techniques.
After the Spanish colonization (16th century), the alpaca was “abandoned” in favor of other imported animals (cows, horses, sheep, etc.). It was then moved to the higher lands of the Andes, which were uncultivable and more arid.
Its population decreased dramatically but it survived thanks, in particular, to two factors: its ability to withstand extreme temperatures (cold or hot) and to the traditional attachment that the Andean population has towards alpacas.