Messages in Knots: The Ingenuity of the Inca Quipu
The Quipu, a system of cords and knots used by the Incas, enabled them to record and communicate data without an alphabet. It was essential in the imperial administration.Since the 14th century, the Inca Empire and its neighbors used a unique communication system that allowed them to record numbers and messages through cords and knots. This system is called Quipu, meaning “knot” in Quechua, the language used by the Incas. Although Quipu is an ancient technology, it is still used in parts of South America to record abstract ideas, memories, dates, and statistics. It consists of a series of knots arranged on horizontally suspended cords, from which other vertical cords hang. This communication method showcases the Incas’ creativity and adaptability, allowing them to convey complex information without a formal alphabet. The Inca people’s ability to communicate abstract ideas solely through knots is a clear example of humanity’s capacity to innovate and adapt.
This tool had several uses, from storytelling to recording tax data for the empire. The combination of different knots, colors, and positions on the cords allowed specific information to be encoded. Since the Quipu was a complex system, interpreting it required specialists called quipucamayocs, who were the Inca Empire’s accountants and archivists. The quipucamayocs, mostly men over 50, were trained to read and create Quipus with precision. Additionally, members of the ruling class learned to interpret Quipus through advanced education, as they were responsible for overseeing districts and maintaining administrative order. The rest of the population received a general education. The Yachaywasi, the university for nobles’ descendants or upper-class individuals, offered rigorous education in sciences and other advanced subjects. It is worth noting that at its peak, the Inca Empire reached a notable size, with about 12 million people living in a territory extending from northern Bolivia to central Chile. Furthermore, a network of messengers known as chasquis transported Quipus along royal roads, carrying important messages and data between different districts and the imperial capital, Cusco. For example, if the Chinchaysuyu region, one of the empire’s four divisions, needed to send tax information to the capital, a chasqui would carry the corresponding Quipu along the official paths of the empire. This reflects how the Quipu system not only facilitated the administration of a vast territory but also how Incan ingenuity combined practical advancements and efficient communication methods to sustain their civilization. |