Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – Before the birth of databases and spreadsheets, people employed various methods to track information, one of which was the khipu. This fascinating record-keeping system consisted of a cord made from human hair, with additional cords and knots representing decimal numbers.
Khipus were prevalent among the elite individuals in the Inca Empire in western South America. Spanish colonial observers noted that these were crafted by elite male bureaucrats known as khipukamayuqs. However, this contrasts with practices in the 19th and 20th centuries when lower-status individuals, including hacienda laborers, peasant farmers, and female peasants, created khipus.
Primary cord and pendants, KH0631 (cal 1498 ± 26 CE).. Credit: Photo by Hyland, School of Divinity, University of St Andrews.
Interestingly, at least one colonial source suggested a more inclusive production process during the Inka era. Indigenous chronicler Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala claimed that women also made khipus within the Inka Empire. Physical evidence from remains could clarify whether khipu production was restricted to high-status males or included women and commoners as well.
A recent study sheds light on this topic by presenting new evidence about the social status of Inka-era khipu experts. Historically believed to be exclusively crafted by male bureaucratic elites based on Spanish chronicles, recent findings challenge this notion.
Khipu experts, or khipukamayuqs, were regarded as imperial male elites essential to the functioning of the Inka empire. Historically, when human hair was tied onto khipus, the hair served as the signature of the person from whom the hair was removed. Colonial authors highlighted their high status and benefits. In Cuzco, elite boys learned to make khipus, and each community had at least two high-ranking khipu experts who maintained records for the central government. Khipukamayuqs documented population and labor records and made their khipus.
Some regions within the Inka Empire had unique khipu traditions that varied slightly from the imperial standard; for example, Armatambo khipus showed reverse knot significance compared to others. Khipu literacy was thought limited to elite bureaucrats. However, Guaman Poma de Ayala noted women also made khipus in aqllawasisi (houses of “chosen women”) to track personnel and supplies. Women selected by administrators performed weaving duties or served deities, with some later becoming prestigious wives or sacrifices. Most museum khipus lack provenance data but often come from burials with multiple bodies. Only two Late Horizon burials—Soniche’s Grave K and Armatambo’s Burial 19—had Inka-style khipus linked to individual corpses.
Researchers examined an Inka khipu known as KH0631 with a primary cord composed of human hair—a “signature” indicating its creator’s identity. Advances in isotope ratio mass spectrometry enabled simultaneous measurements of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur from a single hair sample from KH0631. The results revealed that this individual consumed a diet typical of low-ranking commoners rather than that of an elite member who would have eaten more meat and maize-based foods.
Khipus used coloured cords adorned with knots at specific points. Jack Zalium/flickr, CC BY-SA
Radiocarbon dating placed this particular khipu around 1500 AD, while dietary analysis indicated it mainly consisted of tubers and greens—consistent with what commoners ate at that time—suggesting their involvement in producing these intricate devices used for communication within society back then, too!
“Our results indicate that the individual lived between 2600 and 2800 m.
In other words, the individual lived in the highlands, relatively far from the Pacific Ocean. This finding correlates with the low level of marine resources in the diet. Our results also suggest that the individual lived in southern Peru or northern Chile. However, without better data on local water values, this finding remains tentative,” the researchers write in their study.
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These findings challenge the traditional understanding of social exclusivity in ancient record-keeping within the Inka empire, although further evidence is needed to draw definitive conclusions. The specific details about this individual remain limited due to the uncertain origins of the khipu. Conducting further isotope analysis on more khipus could offer greater insight into the diversity among khipu creators.
The study was published in the journal Science Advances
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer