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Quipu for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: 'kipu

What does Quipu really mean?

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Hey there! I'm so glad you asked about the word "Quipu." It's a fascinating term that comes from the Inca civilization, which was an ancient society in South America. Now, let me break it down for you in the simplest way possible.

Quipu refers to a unique method of communication or recording information that the Incas used. Instead of writing things down on paper like we do today, they used a system of colored strings and knots. These strings were made of different materials and had different colors, which helped them convey different meanings.

Think of it like this: imagine you have a bunch of shoelaces in different colors, like red, blue, and green. Each color represents a different idea or concept. Now, instead of tying these laces on shoes, imagine tying knots in them. The number and position of these knots on the strings would then represent numbers, dates, or even stories. It's sort of like a secret code that only they could understand.

Can you picture it? It's like your own personal colorful language made up of knots!

These quipus were not just random creations, but a way for the Incas to keep track of important information such as population, taxes, and even historical events. It was their version of a written record, but instead of words, they used these intricate strings and knots.

Let me give you an example to help you understand it better. Imagine you want to remember how many apples your friend gave you each day for a week. Instead of writing it down in a notebook, you can use a quipu. You would assign a specific color of string to represent one apple, another color for two apples, and so on. Then, for each day, you would tie the corresponding number of knots on the appropriate colored string. At the end of the week, you can just look at the knots on each string to know exactly how many apples you received each day.

So, "Quipu" is a word that describes this amazing system of communication and record-keeping that the Incas used. It's like their own special way of writing without using words on paper.

Hope that makes sense! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!


Revised and Fact checked by Emma Johnson on 2023-10-29 15:30:36

Quipu In a sentece

Learn how to use Quipu inside a sentece

  • In ancient Inca civilization, people used quipus to record important information like population numbers and tax collections.
  • Quipu knots were used by the Incas to represent numbers and helped in counting and keeping track of items.
  • Imagine having a special rope with different knots tied on it. Each knot represents something important, like your favorite colors or types of animals. That's similar to how the Incas used quipus to represent different things.
  • If you had a quipu, you could use it to keep track of how many books you read by tying a different knot for each book.
  • If you were a merchant in ancient times, you could use a quipu to remember how many products you sold by tying a special knot for each sale.

Quipu Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

calculating machine calculating machine calculator calculator