Page 86 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

The Peruvian Quipu 75

Fig. 2. Map of the Inca State and Locations of Quipu Finds ([6], p. 68)

Structure and Design of the Quipus

This section gives details of the materials used to make quipus, their structural
layout, and the manner by which numbers were represented upon them.
The Materials
Quipus were made from coloured cotton or wool cords which were spun to-
gether so that there was an eye at one end. A knot was tied into the other end
to prevent it from unravelling. The colours were achieved by dying the ma-
terial before it was spun, and colour combinations were produced by spinning
cords of different colours together.
The light material made quick transportation possible. There was a run-
ners' post, with post stations along the main roads at intervals of a few kilo-
meters, where the quipu was handed over to a fresh runner. By this method, a
message could reach the capital Cuzco from the outermost edge of the country
within a week.