The relationship between humans and alpacas is over 6,000 years old. It is a story of survival, spirituality, textiles and power that culminated in one of the greatest empires in history: the Tawantinsuyu, or Inca Empire.

The origins: from the altiplano to civilisation

It all began on the Andean altiplano, between present-day Peru and Bolivia, at over 4,000 metres altitude. There, pre-Inca cultures began to domesticate the wild vicuña, resulting in the alpaca and the llama — two distinct but related animals.

The earliest evidence of domesticated camelid herding dates to approximately 4000–3000 BC, in the Late Archaic period, and has been found at archaeological sites such as Telarmachay (Junín, Peru) and Asana (Moquegua, Peru).

The "soft gold" of the Andes

For Andean civilisations, alpaca fibre was not simply a textile raw material: it was a symbol of wealth, power and divinity. The finest textiles — made from vicuña and Royal alpaca fibre — were strictly reserved for the Inca nobility and religious rituals.

These textiles, called qompi or cumbi, were so valuable that they served as exchange currency, tribute and sacred offering. They were burned in ceremonies for the gods and accompanied the dead in their tombs.

The Empire's herd system

The Inca Empire organised camelid breeding in a centralised and extraordinarily efficient way. The imperial herds numbered millions of alpacas and llamas, distributed throughout the empire's extent (from southern Colombia to northern Argentina and Chile).

The herders — llameros — were socially recognised specialists under the direct protection of the Inca state. Herd management was so thorough it included detailed animal records, kept using the knotted string system called quipu.

The Spanish arrival and collapse

The 16th-century Spanish conquest was devastating for Andean camelids. The conquistadors brought sheep, goats and cattle, which competed with alpacas for highland pastures. The conquest also destroyed the Inca organisational system that maintained the herds.

It is estimated that the Andean camelid population decreased by 90% during the 16th century. It was one of the most severe ecological and cultural collapses in American history.

The modern revival

From the 20th century, and especially since the 1970s–80s, alpaca breeding has experienced a global renaissance. Peru remains the world's largest producer, with over 3 million alpacas. Global interest in sustainable and luxury fibre has driven the expansion of breeding to every continent.

Today, when you buy an alpaca jumper or visit a ranch in the Pyrenees, you are part of a story that began over six millennia ago in the heights of the Andes.