What's happened
Recent analysis of a 15th-century Inca khipu reveals that commoners, including women, created and used these record-keeping devices. Chemical analysis of human hair woven into the khipu indicates it was made by someone with a low-status diet, challenging previous beliefs that only elites made such devices. The findings suggest khipu literacy was more widespread and inclusive than previously thought.
What's behind the headline?
The new findings fundamentally alter our understanding of Inca society and literacy.
- The chemical analysis of the human hair in the khipu shows it was made by someone with a diet typical of commoners, not elites, indicating that the creation of khipus was not limited to high-status bureaucrats.
- The presence of human hair as a signature suggests a personal and possibly spiritual connection, emphasizing that khipu creation was a more personal act than previously believed.
- The evidence of women making khipus, including a burial site of a woman with her own device, challenges the long-held assumption that only men held this knowledge.
- This broad participation implies that literacy in the Inca empire was more inclusive, potentially involving entire communities and social classes.
- The findings suggest that khipu literacy could have been used for personal or ritual purposes, not just state administration, expanding our understanding of Inca communication and record-keeping.
Overall, these insights will likely lead to a reevaluation of Inca social structure, literacy, and gender roles, with implications for how we interpret their societal organization and cultural practices.
What the papers say
The articles from The Independent and Ars Technica both highlight that previous assumptions limited khipu creation to elite men, but recent chemical and contextual analyses reveal that commoners and women also made and used these devices. The Independent emphasizes that the analysis of human hair indicates a low-status diet, challenging the idea that only bureaucrats created khipus. Ars Technica discusses the significance of a finely crafted khipu made by a commoner, with evidence of a simple diet, and notes the broader social participation, including women, in khipu literacy. Both sources agree that these findings will reshape our understanding of Inca society, moving away from a narrow elite-centric view to a more inclusive perspective.
How we got here
Historically, khipus were thought to be exclusive to Inca bureaucrats, used for record-keeping of taxes, population, and resources. Colonial documents and early research suggested only high-ranking men created and understood these devices. Recent discoveries, including a 15th-century khipu with human hair from a commoner, challenge this view and imply broader participation, including women, in the creation and use of khipus across Inca society.
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