The Inca String Code that Reveals Peru's Climate History

The Inca string code that reveals Peru's climate history

Five centuries ago, the Incas ruled the western half of South America with the help of a unique form of writing based on colored and knotted cords. These strings, called khipus, recorded major events, tracked economic matters, and even encoded biographies and poetry, according to the Spanish chroniclers who witnessed their use.

The Inca string code that reveals Peru’s climate history

The author studying specimens. Author provided, CC BYFive centuries ago, the Incas ruled the western half of South America with the help of a unique form of writing based on coloured and knotted cords. These strings, called khipus, recorded major events, tracked economic matters, and even encoded biographies and poetry, according to the Spanish chroniclers who witnessed their use. Most khipus have knots that indicate numbers that we can “read”, …