Modern+Quipus

=Modern Quipus=

 ===“Recording in a way that is not language specific would have been very valuable in a multilingual empire, since it would mean people untrained in Quechua-and they were the majority in many areas-could take direct part in the imperial communication system”(17-18 Salomon). ===



In 1994, Frank Salomon visited the Peruvian village of Tupicocha. He had been told that this village still keeps and maintains objects that resemble the Incan khipu.

Salomon states that the khipu had previously been used as "tools for organizing late colonial or early republican ayllus", although their current role is somewhat different. The villagers call their khipus "quipocamayos," "equipos" or "caytus". The quipocamayos are considered the most sacred regalia, worn by the President, or camachico, of each ayllu. Tupicocha consists of ten ayllus, or parcialidades.

Huayrona is a 2-day civic meeting, which begins the political year for the people of Tupicocha. During this time, the quipocamayos are displayed on cushions on the ground (only 8 of the 10 ayllu have quipocamayos). At the close of this ceremony, the Presidents of each ayllu wear the quipocamayos. When worn, they resemble what Salomon calls a "sash of office."

According to Salomon, "when the //ayllus// present their respective //quipocamayos// to the whole of Tupicocha, they twist the //quipocamayo// with all its pendants into a single large cable, and tie it into a single huge knot. The large ornament marking the start of the record should point upward." Many of the khipu that Salomon saw at Tupicocha vary considerably from the Incan khipus found in the archaeolgical record.



In his research, Salomon identifies 3 types of quipus:
 * “Colonial”- made between 1532 and 1824. Many are mentioned or transcribed on paper. No single museum specimen has been identified as colonial.
 * “Patrimonial”- “held as a historic legacy in its owner community but is not a productive medium at the time of documentation’(12). Reported by Arturo Ruiz Estrada in 1990, from Lima highlands. They have much in common with Inca-style quipus.
 * “Ethnographic”- Studied in a context of productive use or were explained by people who retained productive competence. Deviate in basic design from the Inca-style quipus. There are less than 50 stated cases of these.

(Photos taken from Frank Salomon's website, [])