Abstract
THE PERUVIAN QUIPUS.—Baron Nordenskiold continues his study of the quipus, the systematically knotted cords found in Peruvian graves, in the second part of No. 6 of his “Comparative Ethnographical Studies” (Göteborg: Elanders Boktryckeri Aktie-bolag). He here follows up his previous suggestion that the quipus have a calendrical significance by a detailed study of seven quipus on a numerical evaluation of the knots according to their position and the colour of the cords. As regards the ancient Peruvian calendar, the statements of early writers are ambiguous and contradictory as to the division of the year into months, the extent to which the distinction between the lunar and solar year was recognised, and the date on which the year began. It is possible that this confusion arose out of the fact that the more intimate and accurate knowledge of the calendar was confined to the priests, with whom the whites were less likely to come into contact, while the common people, from whom these writers obtained their information, used the lunar year; the solar year, divided up into months of thirty days with five intercalary days, being the property of the learned and not in general use everywhere. Certain results common to the quipus here examined are found to emerge from the numerical evaluation. It would appear that the Incas worked with solar years of 365 days and with months of either 29½ or 30 days, the classification of knots according to the colour of the strings producing both results on the same quipus. The number 7 has special significance. The Incas worked both with synodical months and with a division of the year into 12 months of 30 days plus 5 extra days. It is possible that they knew and reckoned with a synodical revolution of Jupiter calculated at 397 days. The results obtained support the statements of the old writers.
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Research Items. Nature 118, 26–28 (1926). https://doi.org/10.1038/118026a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/118026a0