For millennia, ancient peoples of the Andes created quipus—complex record-keeping devices, made of k
For millennia, ancient peoples of the Andes created quipus—complex record-keeping devices, made of knotted cords, that served as an essential medium for reading and writing and for registering and remembering. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month we’ll be sharing examples of this ancient Andean tradition that are currently on view alongside Cecilia Vicuña’s site-specific installation, Disappeared Quipu. Follow along over the next few weeks and visit the Museum to learn more about their history, construction, use, and technique.This is a hybrid quipu, combining both administrative and narrative elements. The primary cord indicates that it is complete, with the short end knot on the left signifying the beginning of the cord registry and the long dangle cord on the right denoting the end. Its tiers of knots do not follow the traditional knot-space-knot format, and the descending order of knot types is not in a logical numeric sequence. In addition, many of the long knots are longer than those on decimal quipus, suggesting that this example may have had both an administrative and a narrative function. Knots with more than nine twists may signify an object or an activity, rather than a number. Inca quipu-maker (khipukamayuq) Administrative / Narrative Quipu, 1400–1532. Central Coast, Peru. Cotton. Brooklyn Museum; Gift of Mrs. Eugene Schaefer -- source link
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