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The Khipu Database Project began in the fall of 2002, with the goal
of collecting all known information about khipu into one centralized repository.
Having the data in digital form allows researchers to ask questions about
khipu which up until now would have been very difficult, if not impossible,
to answer. The Khipu Database Project was funded 2002-2004 by the National
Science Foundation and Harvard University, and in 2004-2005 is funded
by the National Science Foundation.
The KDB and its associated data entry application were designed and implemented
specifically for the use of this project. The khipu data schema is modeled
on the physical structure of khipu. The overall structure of a khipu is
that of a branching network in which the number of branching levels is
highly variable, but in which components at every level share certain
characteristics. The data schema for the KDB embraces the following critical
facts about khipu construction: the interlocking relationships between
khipu components, the branching or tree-like structure of khipu, the similarity
of certain components, and the multi-dimensionality of khipu variables.
In a relational database, each table may be linked to one or many different
tables by defining correspondences between data fields in each table.
These relationships can be complex, including restrictions on the possible
data in one record given the data in another. Such a structure is ideal
for describing a flexible object such as a khipu. Khipu components are
specified in detail in their own records and linked into their proper
places in the entire object through carefully designed relationships.
In this way, the database builds a network or web of correspondences between
khipu parts. This allows the database to mimic the physical structures
of a khipu without loss of accuracy. It should be noted that the current
design allows complete freedom in capturing khipu structure; the number
of pendants that belong to a primary cord or knots that belong to a pendant
are infinitely variable. Similarly, the database can accommodate any number
of levels of subsidiaries.
Certain aspects of khipu share many characteristics. For example, pendant
cords at any level (top cords, pendants, subsidiaries, etc) have variables
of fiber, final twist, end treatment, length, and color. Similarly, all
knots on a khipu have a position on a particular string, a type, directionality,
and a numerical value. By creating tables that incorporate these common
elements for cords or knots at all levels, we increase the efficiency
of our data structure while still allowing it to be extensible. Finally,
some variables may themselves have many dimensions; color is the most
obvious example. One cord may be composed of several different colors,
and may even change color along its length. The database effectively and
accurately contains color information by allowing many different color
records for one cord. As other variables become known and are recorded,
the database can be easily extended to completely contain new information,
without compromising existing data.
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Data Schema The schema of the KDB is based on the physical
structure of khipu.
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Early Results
Though the querying process has only just started, several interesting
khipu features have already been found
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