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Chachapoyas Khipu: Calendar and related
khipu
The largest khipu found in the Laguna de los Condores has 762 pendant
strings. The arrangement of pendants is complex, including many
loop pendants, top cords, and top loop pendants. One interpretation
of this khipu is as a calendrical device. This is based on an arrangement
of 730 of the strings into twenty-four groups made up of approximately
30 pendants each. This leads us to believe that the khipu is divided
into two year-long sections, each section containing 12 months (2x365
= 730). With the help of the Khipu Database, it was also found that
two other khipu from Chachapoyas match a significant four-month
section of the large Calendar khipu. This relation between three
khipu is an exciting development in the investigation of these devices.
Note: The khipu are classified here by investigator
number. We do not believe the identification of a particular artifact
with a personal investigator number to be optimal, but the museum
numbers for these khipu are still in flux. Therefore for the time
being we believe khipu will be easier to find by investigator number.
When the museum numbers become stable the khipu will be reclassified.
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UR6: Calendar Khipu
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This image of the khipu in radial arrangement shows the overall
structure. The details are not clearly visible in this photo.
Museum number CMA.625/LC1-254.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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UR6: Calendar Khipu
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Overall view of the khipu with primary cord linear. The top
cords and top loop pendants are clearly visible.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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UR6: Calendar Khipu
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Detail of pendants near one end of the khipu.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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| UR6:
Calendar Khipu |
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Detail showing top pendant with subsidiaries.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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| UR6:
Calendar Khipu |
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Detail of a top loop pendant.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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| UR9 |
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The sequence of cord totals on this khipu corresponds closely
to a large section of the Calendar Khipu. CMA-850/LC1-479.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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| UR9
detail |
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Closer view of the widely spaced pendants towards one end
of UR9.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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| UR9
detail |
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View of the closely spaced pendants of UR9.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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| UR21 |
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This khipu corresponds closely with UR9 and with a portion
of the Calendar Khipu. INC-498.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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| UR21
detail |
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Closer view of cords on UR21.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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UR21 detail
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One end of UR21 includes a loop pendant; here is a close
view of it.
Image courtesy of Centro Mallqui, Leymebamba, Peru. (Photo by
Gary Urton)
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