Quipu: Knotted Codes of the Inca Empire

Discover how the Inca Empire kept a vast civilization together using quipu—cotton and camelid fiber cords whose knots and spacings counted people, taxes, and languages. We unpack how a base-10 system works without a single written word: long knots for 2–9, a figure-eight knot for 1, and zeros encoded by empty space; a left-right knot orientation (S vs Z) creates a binary-like signal. We'll meet the quipucamayocs, the expert knot-counters, and explore modern digitization projects like Open Quipu, which has catalogued hundreds of quipus and uses machine learning to decipher patterns. Finally, we visit living quipu communities in Andean villages and reflect on what everyday objects around us may carry data for future generations.

Note:  This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes.  Please double-check any critical information.

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