Civilization without Writing—The Incas and the Quipu, Marcia Ascher and Robert Ascher

Aquipu is a collection of cords with knots tiedin them. The cords were usually made of cotton, and they were often dyed one or more colors. When held in the hands, a quipu is unimpressive; surely, in our culture, it might be mistaken for a tangled old mop [see photo]. For the Spanish, the Inca quipu was the equivalent of the Western airplane for native Australians.