Prompt Cast
The Inka people's use of khipu: an ancient form of information storage and communication
TLDR The Inka people used khipu, knotted cords made from cotton or wool, as a form of calculation and information storage, allowing them to keep track of various things without a written language. Khipu were much more than just a numerical recording system, as they also encoded words, names, and abstract thoughts, potentially even phonetic sounds.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The Inka people had the largest pre-Columbian empire in the Americas and achieved significant accomplishments.
02:42
The Inka people were able to achieve significant accomplishments without any written language, unlike many other ancient civilizations.
05:31
Khipu, or knotted cords made from cotton or wool, were initially thought to be art but were later discovered to encode information and tabulate things.
08:16
Khipu were used as a form of calculation and information storage, allowing the Inca to keep track of various things without a written language.
10:49
Khipu were much more than just a numerical recording system, as they also encoded words, names, and abstract thoughts.
13:05
The current thinking is that khipu not only encoded numbers and record keeping, but also abstract thoughts and potentially even phonetic sounds.
15:35
The Inca developed a written language encoded in khipu, but it has been lost to history and remains undeciphered.
Categories:
Society & Culture
