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Subjects (SH) Terminology Resource (Getty Research Institute)

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Concept information

Preferred term

Khipus  

Definition

  • Recording devices used in the Inca empire and its predecessor societies in the Andean region, typically consisting of colored cotton (or alpaca) cords or strings with numeric values perhaps encoded by knots in the base-10 positional (decimal) system; composed of a main, or primary, cord to which are attached a variable number of so-called pendant strings; there can be anywhere from two to almost 1500 pendant strings; pendant strings may bear further subsidiary strings as well; on most khipus there are three types of knots; has yet to be deciphered [AAT, alt.]

Entry terms

  • Kipus
  • Quipocamayos
  • Quipos
  • Quipus

Notation

  • 121632

In other languages

URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/JLC-WJXL5WHB-K

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