Replica quipu, South American, c 15th century.

Replica quipu, South American, c 15th century. Replica quipu, South American, c 15th century.

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

One replica Quipu

Replica of a quipu made from an original held at the Museum of Natural History, New York, in 1974. Quipus were used by the Incas during the 15th and early 16th centuries as records of all types of accounts. It was discovered in the early 20th century that the knots represent numbers on a base 10 system; the long knots being units and the short ones tens, hundreds or thousands depending on their position.

Details

Category:
Mathematics
Object Number:
1974-254
Materials:
wool, cotton (fibre) and straw
Measurements:
as displayed: 910 mm x 21 mm x 15 mm, 0.03 kg
type:
accounting record (quipu)
credit:
Rowlands, J.