How did the Inca communicate over long distances?

• A. Used carrier pigeons
• B. Used semaphore towers
• C. Used smoke signals
• D. Used runners along their road system

Answer: (D)

Long-distance communication relied on a relay system of runners along an extensive road network. The Inca built a vast network of roads and waystations, or tambos, so trained runners could pass messages from one station to the next. These messengers, known as chasqui, would carry oral notes or brief messages, sometimes with a quipu attached for data, and hand them off at each stop. This relay method allowed information to travel quickly across the empire despite challenging terrain like mountains and deserts. Fire signals, pigeons, or semaphore were not used in the Inca system, so the runner network was the most effective solution for long-distance communication.