QUIPPU Meaning and
Definition
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A quippu, pronounced as "kee-poo," is a historical recording device utilized by the Incas, a pre-Columbian civilization in South America, specifically in today's Peru. Quippus were intricate systems of cords with knots tied at specific positions and intervals along them. These cords were made from different materials like cotton or llama or alpaca hair, each indicating different information.
The quippu served multiple purposes, primarily as a method of record-keeping and communication. It facilitated the recording of numerical data, such as numbers, quantities, and calendrical information. Additionally, the cords were often used to preserve historical accounts, genealogical information, and even stories. Quippus supported governance, taxation, trade, and the collection of census data, providing a means for storing and transmitting knowledge within the Inca Empire.
The structure of a quippu entails a primary cord, from which several cords hang, each representing different categories or subcategories. These subsidiary cords often had various colors, knot types, and knot placements, each conveying distinct meanings. The positional values of the knots along the cords were crucial in deciphering the encoded information.
Despite extensive research, the exact methods of reading and interpreting a quippu remain ambiguous, as the Incas did not have a written language. Scholars continue to study this enigmatic record-keeping system to gain insights into the Inca civilization and their complex governance and administrative practices.
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In anc. Mexico and Peru, a knotted cord of variously-coloured threads, from which there hung smaller threads, in the manner of a fringe, used to record events.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for QUIPPU
- 1uippu
- 2uippu
- wuippu
- auippu
- qyippu
- qhippu
- qjippu
- qiippu
- q8ippu
- q7ippu
- quuppu
- qujppu
- qukppu
- quoppu
- qu9ppu
- qu8ppu
- quippy
- quipph
- quippj
- quipp8
Etymology of QUIPPU
The word "quippu" is derived from the Quechua language, which is the native language spoken by the indigenous people of the Andean region in South America, particularly in Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. In Quechua, the term is spelled "khipu" or "quipu". The word has its roots in the Quechuan verb "khipuy", which means "to knot" or "to tie". Quippus are a unique ancient recording system consisting of strings with various knots used by the Inca civilization and other Andean cultures.
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