Khipukamayuq

Keeper of the Knotted Cords

The khipukamayuq were the master record-keepers of the Inca Empire, the trained officials who created and read the khipu, knotted cords of colored thread. Through the placement, type, and color of each knot they recorded censuses, tributes, harvests, and histories across the vast realm. Without a written script, the empire's administration rested upon these skilled accountants and their intricate woven archives.