The Inca Empire, a powerful pre-Columbian civilization, was known for remarkable innovations like Machu Picchu, its extensive road network, and advanced agricultural terrace systems. Unique to this society, the khipu method of record-keeping involved tying knots in cords to encode information. Recent findings indicate that even commoners participated in khipu production, contradicting the belief that it was solely the domain of the elite. The discovery from a human hair khipu from around 1498 could encourage further studies of existing khipus in museum collections, potentially rewriting the understanding of this significant aspect of Incan culture.
The Inca Empire had the largest empire in the New World at the time, covering half of a continent, relying entirely on knotted cords for keeping records.
Khipus get overlooked as a form of writing. These unusual recording devices are bunches of knots tied in long, colored cords, typically hanging from a thick primary strand.
A new analysis finds that even low-class commoners may have engaged in khipu production, challenging previous assumptions that it was solely the realm of ruling elites.
Only a tiny percentage of ancient Incan khipus have survived, yet recent research may encourage scientists to test other khipus sitting in museum collections.
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