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.Administrative quipus are characterized by pendant cords with tiers of knots separated by spaces that indicate decimal values—what we would understand as the individual columns of digits in a numbering system, such as units (1 through 9), tens, hundreds, and thousands. The twist direction of the cords is almost always Z-spun and S-plied. The Inca used three main knots (visible on this quipu) to signify numerical values: figure-eight knots, long knots, and single knots. Each knot type signified a different unit of measurement. Cord color also had significance; however, its meaning is at present unknown. This administrative quipu, which consists of three different quipus attached along the primary cord, was used to record statistical information, such as taxes, census data, and storehouse inventories. The plain white, reddish-brown, and tan cords on the right are blanks for future use.Inca quipu-maker (khipukamayuq). Administrative Quipu, 1400–1532. Central or South Coast, Peru. Cotton. Brooklyn Museum; Gift of Ernest Erickson, 70.177.69  -- source link

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