The quipu becomes the standard recording device of the Andean civilizations

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 5.1.1: Hispanic Writing and Culture of South America.
Vol. editors: Kate Averis (University of Western Australia), Ben Bollig (University of Oxford), Ceire Broderick (University College Cork), Nuala Finnegan (University College Cork), Anna Forné (Gothenburg University), Cara Levey (University College Cork), Carolina Orloff (Independent Scholar - Europe), Lori Oxford (Western Carolina University), Ailsa Peate (University of Westminster)

Domains

Communications
Slave trade

Dates

Date of occurrence c.700

Places

Bolivia (Location)
Chad (Location)
Ecuador (Location)
Libya (Location)
Mali (Location)
Niger (Location)
Peru (Location)
Sudan (Location)

Resources

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The quipu is a mnemonic device, consisting of a length of rope from which numerous other threads are suspended. The length of each thread, its colour and the position of any knots in it can acquire specific meanings. It is associated in particular with the administration of the Inca empire.

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50 words

Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "The quipu becomes the standard recording device of the Andean civilizations". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 May 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=6785, accessed 06 May 2024.]

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