Signs of the Inka Khipu: Binary Coding in the Andean Knotted-String Records (The Linda Schele Series in Maya and Pre-Columbian Studies) - Softcover

Urton, Gary

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0292785402 ISBN 13: 9780292785403

Publisher: University of Texas Press, 2003

Synopsis

The administrators of the Inca empire recorded its business in Khipu , an elaborate array of primary and secondary knotted strings, about 600 of which survive today. This detailed investigation of the historical use and linguistic meaning of Khipu argues that they were sophisticated mnemonic devices, far more complex than the modern rosary, that used a binary code language. The study, which also discusses the history of the decipherment of the language, is illustrated throughout with explanatory diagrams and photographs of the survivng strings.

About this title

About the Author

Gary Urton is Dumbarton Oaks Professor of Pre-Columbian Studies at Harvard University, as well as a MacArthur Fellow (2001–2005).

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Texas Press
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0292785402
• ISBN 13: 9780292785403
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208